Table of Contents

Preface, Acknowledgements, 1 Introduction: the legacy of the past, 2 The Ancients and inner wealth, 3 Patristics: end of the contempt for wealth and labour, 4 Medieval dualism: poverty as an ideal; wealth as a practical goal, 5 Italian humanism ignores economic development, 6 From alms to human capital: the poor in sixteenth century Spain and England, 7 Spain’s unproductive consumption, 8 Expanding production: a (fearful) hunger for goods, 9 Productive and unproductive labour, 10 Foreign trade: fostering productive consumption/productive labour, 11 The Enlightenment theory of development: consumption as an investment, Notes, References, Subject index, Name index