"Knowledge and Industrial Development: The Stakes By "the first knowledge economy" we refer to the era of the Industrial Revolution, from roughly the 1760s to the 1850s, first in Britain and then in selected parts of northern and western Europe, with particular attention to Belgium"--

War, finance, and mercantilism -- Great divergence, fiscal-military state and economic policy -- From trading cities to territorial states -- The "military revolution" -- The rise of the fiscal state -- Different paths to public finance and fiscal systems -- European states and the crisis of the...