Traditional theories of the origins of the welfare state have emphasized the financial weakness of Britain’s largest provider of mutual insurance in the late 19th century, the friendly societies. These theories share common implications with contemporary theories of institutional change...

By analysing a newly compiled database of exchange rates, this paper finds that Central European financial integration advanced in a cyclical fashion over the fifteenth century. The cycles were associated with changes in the money supply. Long-distance financial integration progressed in...

This study examines a problem of fiscal deficits based on the Ottoman budget of 1275 A.H. (March 1859–February 1860).1 In this period, state debt amassed rapidly due to increased market loans abroad. In order to evaluate the credibility of the Ottoman government for a new loan, Lord Hobart and...

This paper is a case study about investor behaviour of the government of Berne on capital markets in the 18th century, focussing mainly on London. Economic theory about principal-agent problems and portfolio administration will be used to analyse quantitative and qualitative data from government...

We extend the model of friendship networks developed by Brueck-ner (2006) in two ways. First, we extend the level of indirect bene…tsby incorporating bene…ts from up to three links and explore its impli-cation for the socially optimal and individual e¤ort levels. Next, wegeneralize the...

This paper explores the emergence of a business culture among merchants and entrepreneurs in the Ionian Islands during the period of British rule (1815-1864). New forms of business organisation (the joint-stock company), and novel commercial practices, such as advertising, represent examples of...