Winner, 2010 Phyllis Goodhart Gordan Book Prize, the Renaissance Society of America2009 Outstanding Academic Title, ChoiceHonorable Mention, Economics, 2009 PROSE Awards, Professional and Scholarly Publishing division of the Association of American Publishers
Richard A. Goldthwaite, a leading economic historian of the Italian Renaissance, has spent his career studying the Florentine economy. In this magisterial work, Goldthwaite brings together a lifetime of research and insight on the subject, clarifying and explaining the complex workings of Florence's commercial, banking, and artisan sectors.
Florence was one of the most industrialized cities in medieval Europe, thanks to its thriving textile industries. The importation of raw materials and the exportation of finished cloth necessitated the creation of commercial and banking practices that extended far beyond Florence's boundaries. Part I situates Florence within this wider international context and describes the commercial and banking networks through which the city's merchant-bankers operated. Part II focuses on the urban economy of Florence itself, including various industries, merchants, artisans, and investors. It also evaluates the role of government in the economy, the relationship of the urban economy to the region, and the distribution of wealth throughout the society.
While political, social, and cultural histories of Florence abound, none focuses solely on the economic history of the city. The Economy of Renaissance Florence offers both a systematic description of the city's major economic activities and a comprehensive overview of its economic development from the late Middle Ages through the Renaissance to 1600.
Richard A. Goldthwaite is professor emeritus of history at the Johns Hopkins University. He is the author of The Building of Renaissance Florence: An Economic and Social History and Wealth and the Demand for Art in Italy, 1300-1600, both also published by Johns Hopkins.
Table of Contents
List of Tables, Figures, and MapsPrefaceIntroduction: The Commerical RevolutionEconomic Growth and Development in Italy to 1300Trade with the LevantLinks to the NorthThe Tuscan TownsFlorenceRise to PredominanceThe Dynamics of GrowthPart I: International Merchant Banking1. The NetworkPerformanceDynamics of ChangePeriodizationThe Era of the FlorinBalance of PaymentsStructuresThe FirmThe Conduct of BusinessInterfirm RelationsThe CenterFlorence and Regional TradeFlorence as International Emporium2. The Shifting Geography of CommerceNorthwestern EuropeNaples and Southern ItalyThe Western MediterraneanA Transport RevolutionThe Iberian PeninsulaSouthern FranceThe Later Sixteenth CenturyCentral Italy and RomeVenice, the Adriatic, and the LevantCentral Europe3. Banking and FinanceBankingDeposits and LoansInternational Transfer and ExchangeThe Bill of Exchange as Credit InstrumentThe International Exchange MarketGovernment FinanceLoans to RulersRisksThe PapacyCompetition and Innovation in the Sixteenth CenturyPart II: The Urban Economy4. The Textile IndustriesGeneral PerformanceThe Wool IndustryThe Silk IndustryLinen DrapersBusiness OrganizationThe FirmOperations beyond the FirmProductionThe ShopThe Work ForceRecapitulation: Wool, Silk, and the Economy5. Artisans, Shop keepers, WorkersThe Work ForceGuildsArtisansWorks on the Margins of the MarketPerformance of the Artisan SectorDemand-Driven GrowthParameters of the Local Market6. Banking and CreditBanking Institutions through the Fifteenth CenturyHistoriographical ProblemsLocal BanksPawnbrokersWelfare InstitutionsBanks and the GovernmentLack of a Banking SystemPerformance of the Banking SectorPracticesEconomic FunctionsBankruptciesBanking outside of BanksOffsettingThe Private Credit MarketNew Directions in the Sixteenth CenturyA Public Savings- and- Loan BankA Central Clearance Bank?Conclusion7. ContextsGovernment and the EconomyEconomic PolicyFiscal PolicyBusiness Interests and GovernmentThe Region and the CityUrban GeographyIndustrial ResourcesAgricultureEconomic IntegrationPrivate WealthSocial MobilityA Profile of Wealth Distribution in 1427Redistribution of Wealth in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth CenturiesConclusionEconomic CultureAttitudes and BehaviorNotions about the EconomyPerformanceThe Economy in the Short RunA Final JudgmentAppendix: Changing Values of the FlorinIndex