The World Economy between the Wars [Hardcover]

Peter Temin (Author), Gianni Toniolo (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 12, 2008

The European Economy between the Wars, (OUP, 1997) has become the definitive economic history of Europe in the inter-war period. Placing the Great Depression of 1929-33 and the associated financial crisis at the center of the narrative, the authors comprehensively examined the lead-up to and consequences of the depression and recovery. Peter Temin and Gianni Toniolo (their former co-author, Charles H. Feinstein, has died) now expand their scope to include the entire world economy, and have created a new edition: The World Economy between the Wars. New material focuses on the structure of the world economy in the 1920s, including a special focus on the United States, Japan, and Latin America. In addition, chapters that discuss the post-depression recovery now cover The New Deal and recovery in general in the United States and Japan. This new edition is a necessary update, and invaluable resource for those who desire an overview of the inter-war area beyond the usual discussion of the 1929 stock market crash. The book's broad geographic coverage, as well as its clarity and chronological execution, will appeal to students of economic history, as well as those academics in other fields whose research involves the inter-war period.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"When the Charles Feinstein, Peter Temin, and Gianni Toniolo published The European Economy Between the World Wars over ten years ago, it immediately became the standard history of European economic developments in the 1920s and 1930s. Now the authors have expanded the previous work very substantially to the international economy as a whole. The World Economy Between the World Wars is, like its predecessor, destined to be an instant classic. It is a comprehensive and balanced account of one of the most important and perplexing periods in world economic history. The authors analyze the economics, and the political economy, of the global and national trends that culminated in the Great Depression and eventually World War Two. In doing so, they provide both an insightful historical account of a crucial era, and thoughtful observations on its implications for the contemporary age."--Jeff Frieden, Professor of Government, Harvard University

"Historical debate about the miseries of the interwar world economy will no doubt remain vigorous, but Peter Temin's, Gianni Toniolo and the late Charles Feinstein have provided an admirable and succinct guide to the controversies and outcomes of the era and to the historical debate ever since."--Charles S. Maier, Leverett Saltonstall Profesor of History, Harvard University

"This revised edition of Feinstein, Temin and Toniolo's classic is most welcome. Not only does it expand in compass from Europe to the world, but it speaks to contemporary questions--the end of empire, global imbalances, the sub prime crisis--that will resonate with a new generation of readers."--Barry Eichengreen, George C. Pardee and Helen N. Pardee Professor of Economics and Political Science, University of California, Berkeley

About the Author

Peter Temin is Elisha Gray II Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Gianni Toniolo is Research Professor of Economics and History at Duke University and Research Fellow at the Centre for Economic Policy Research in London.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (February 12, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195307550
• ISBN-13: 978-0195307559
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 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: #1,390,646 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Source Of Information And Analysis, December 27, 2008

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This review is from: The World Economy between the Wars (Hardcover)

The authors (Messrs. Feinstein, Temin, and Toniolo) have written an extremely informative, quite well written, and very well referenced account of the economy of the world in the period between the two world wars. Obviously the authors put much work and professional expertise in writing this book. The authors untangle the story of how the economies of the world in this period slided into the Great Depression and how the slow recovery took place. The book is an excellent introduction, summary, and revelation of how of the economy operated in the inter world war time period.

There is the well documented information in this work. In particular the authors detail the baneful effect of the Gold Standard. The quick recovery of many economies from the sharp recessions right after World War I was greatly aided by the absence of the Gold Standard. And during the Great Depression the economies that left the Gold Standard almost invariably were the economies that recovered from the deflation, unemployment, and excess capacity of the depression. Moreover the authors detail the beginnings, rational, and operation of the Sterling Bloc during this period. To me this was most generally new material. And the authors detail the isolating effects of World War I on the economies of the various countries of the world. World War I in many respects broke up and destroyed the international market system that operated prior to the war. These economic and historical descriptions are only some of the vast amount of information and informative material in this book.

In sum this book is a very worthwhile read, particularly for persons who majored in or took courses on economics in college. The present economic downturn provides this book with even more relevance. By all means read this work.