The Balkan Economies c.1800-1914: Evolution without Development (Cambridge Studies in Modern Economic History) [Paperback]

Michael R. Palairet (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 13, 2003 | Series: Cambridge Studies in Modern Economic History (Book 6)

The Balkan Economies c. 1800-1914 is a strongly revisionist book that compares the economic progress of Serbia, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Montenegro and Macedonia in the century before World War One. Native language primary sources are used to argue that these territories probably experienced economic decline rather than growth, at least from the mid-nineteenth century. But far from hindering development, Ottoman rule made possible more progress than successive governments. This in-depth study promises to be the definitive economic history of the Balkans.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Palairet's new Balkan Economies may likely become the most authentic work on the topic." Business History Review

"The author set out to provide an indispensable economic history for all scholars interested in the history of the Balkans and he is to be congratulated for successfully reaching his goal." Charles L. Bertrand, Canadian Journal of History

"[Michael Palairet's] book, closely argued and documented from rarely tapped national archives and an immense range of contemporary and recent writings, is both a contribution to comparative economic history and a refutation of the hitherto widely accepted perception that, after 1878, Balkan-Slav economic growth was `slow, faltering but still significant'(p. 1)." Michael Kaser, International History Review

"Among the strengths revealed in this book is the author's ability to combine attention to detail with a broad comparative sweep...At its best, text and illustration come together to illuminate buildings as the embodiment of "competing visions" of aesthetic and social formation." Slavic Rreview

"...a controversial and immensely stimulating piece of scholarship." David F. Good, Journal of Modern History

Book Description

The Balkan Economies c. 1800-1914 is a strongly revisionist book which compares the economic progress of Serbia, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Montenegro and Macedonia in the century before World War One. Native language primary sources are used to argue that these territories probably experienced economic decline rather than growth, at least from the mid nineteenth century. But far from hindering development, Ottoman rule made possible more progress than successive governments. This in-depth study promises to be the definitive economic history of the Balkans.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (November 13, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521522560
• ISBN-13: 978-0521522564
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,767,898 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Balkan Economic History in Comparative Perspective, April 21, 2000

By 

Falih Haluk Arada (Turkey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Balkan Economies c.1800-1914: Evolution without Development (Cambridge Studies in Modern Economic History) (Hardcover)

Palairet's contribution to the Balkan Economic history is the sixth volume of the Cambridge Studies in Modern Economic history series. The series are described as a new initiative in the writing of the economic history dictated by the concerns of the history of economic performance, output and productivity with a direct reference to the evolutions and impacts of economic growth or stagnation. The volumes are mentioned as written in line with the mainstream of the series. As far as Palairet's volume is concerned, his outcome, which is basically derived from a long term comparative analysis of the performance of the Balkan economies, reconciles with this phenomenon. His deductive, in-depth study of the Balkan economies from early 19th century until 1914, suggests a deploring performance rather than growth, though agricultural production steadily increased, a level of industrialisation attained, nevertheless per capita output and income never caught up the levels of the pre-modern and pre-liberation times. The pre-liberation times overlapped with the sovereignty of the Ottoman rule for most of the Balkan states except Serbia enjoying an independent status after 1815. Such a long term overall comparative analysis requires periodization which is strictly reflected in the chapter formation of the book. During the period under consideration, Balkan economies had passed through two institutional transformation, the first being the breakdown of the Ottoman decentralised administrative structre, which was major push effect of the Balkan economic growth and the second, the emergence of the independent balkan states which curtailed down the economic development. Agriculture production had severely been hit by the subsistence farming, already set up by the self governments to establish a peasant power base for the new regime. The textile proto-industries could not be able to sustain out-put levels and the market share of the pre-liberation era. I do really impressed by the author's in-depth analysis of the Balkan economies, utilising both the qualitative and the quantitative data, covering almost, as far as we assume, all the primary and secondary sources on Balkan Economic History. Essential feature of the book is to indicate how contraversial is to associate Ottoman political structre with stagnation, underdevelopment and retrogression.