44 used & new from $2.30
See All Buying Options
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
 
The Unbound Prometheus: Technological Change and Industrial Development in Western Europe from 1750 to the Present
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book
Tell the Publisher!
I’d like to read this book on Kindle

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.
 
  

The Unbound Prometheus: Technological Change and Industrial Development in Western Europe from 1750 to the Present (Paperback)

~ (Author) "When dealing with ambiguous terms, the first duty of a writer is definition..." (more)
Key Phrases: wide strip mill, relative factor costs, blister steel, United States, United Kingdom, Great Britain (more...)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


2 new from $45.00 42 used from $2.30

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
  Hardcover -- -- $16.22
  Paperback -- $45.00 $2.30

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The Enlightenment, Second Edition (Studies in European History)

The Enlightenment, Second Edition (Studies in European History)

by Roy Porter
4.3 out of 5 stars (3)  $25.08
Dark Continent: Europe's Twentieth Century

Dark Continent: Europe's Twentieth Century

by Mark Mazower
4.1 out of 5 stars (20)  $12.21
The Oxford History of the French Revolution

The Oxford History of the French Revolution

by William Doyle
3.8 out of 5 stars (11)  $16.55
The First World War

The First World War

by John Keegan
3.8 out of 5 stars (204)  $11.53
The Great Divergence: China, Europe, and the Making of the Modern World Economy.

The Great Divergence: China, Europe, and the Making of the Modern World Economy.

by Kenneth Pomeranz
4.1 out of 5 stars (16)  $16.32
› Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Professor Landes's study, Technological Change and Industrial Development in Western Europe, 1750-1914, first appeare as a chapter in volume VI of the Cambridge Economic History of Europe. He has now extended it by adding a full-scale analysis of modern industrial Europe from the First World War to the 1960s. In his new Introduction, Professor Landes discusses the characteristics, progress, and political, economic and social implications of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, France and Germany. He raises the general question: why was Europe the first to industrialize? His section on the inter-war years covers the effect of the First World War in accelerating the dissolution of the old international economy, the reasons for monetary instability and the consequences of monetary difficulties for the economic history of Europe. In particular he discusses the causes of the economic crisis of 1929-1932, the reasons for its severity and quasi-universality and for Britain's early and sustained recovery. An important theme is the impediments posed by generalized international egoism to the efficiency and growth of the European economies. In his final chapter on the economic recovery of Western Europe after the Second World War, Professor Landes examines the forces which have operated since the early 1950s to give Western Europe a period of unprecedented economic growth. He raises the vital question: is this recent boom a temporary phenomenon or the first stage in a new trend of more rapid growth, reflecting an acceleration in technological advance?

Product Details

  • Paperback: 566 pages
  • Publisher: Cambridge University Press; Later Printing edition (July 1, 1969)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0521094186
  • ISBN-13: 978-0521094184
  • Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #584,043 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

More About the Author

David S. Landes
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

› Visit Amazon's David S. Landes Page
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
When dealing with ambiguous terms, the first duty of a writer is definition. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
wide strip mill, relative factor costs, blister steel, continental industry, vegetable fuel, million taler, ooo spindles, wool manufacture, coke smelting, shear steel, cheap steel, puddling furnace, follower countries, chemical manufacture, ooo tons
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
United States, United Kingdom, Great Britain, New York, First World War, Bank of France, Geschichte des Eisens, Middle Ages, League of Nations, Marshall Plan, Common Market, Great Depression, West Riding, Bank of England, Low Countries, Entrepreneurial History, United Nations, Business History, Phyllis Deane, Rationalization Movement, Second Empire, Survey of Metal Industries, Third Reich, United Steel, Arthur Young
New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 46 books:
See all 46 books this book cites
 
100 books cite this book:
See all 100 books citing this book

Books on Related Topics (learn more)
 
Paths of Fire by Robert McCormick Adams
 

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Unbound Prometheus: Technological Change and Industrial Development in Western Europe from 1750 to the Present
69% buy the item featured on this page:
The Unbound Prometheus: Technological Change and Industrial Development in Western Europe from 1750 to the Present 4.0 out of 5 stars (4)
The Wealth and Poverty of Nations: Why Some Are So Rich and Some So Poor
14% buy
The Wealth and Poverty of Nations: Why Some Are So Rich and Some So Poor 3.4 out of 5 stars (172)
$12.89
The Unbound Prometheus: Technological Change and Industrial Development in Western Europe from 1750 to the Present
12% buy
The Unbound Prometheus: Technological Change and Industrial Development in Western Europe from 1750 to the Present 4.0 out of 5 stars (1)
$36.65
The Great Divergence: China, Europe, and the Making of the Modern World Economy.
3% buy
The Great Divergence: China, Europe, and the Making of the Modern World Economy. 4.1 out of 5 stars (16)
$16.32
Explore similar items

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(1)
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more
 

Customer Reviews

4 Reviews
5 star:    (0)
4 star:
 (4)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Good background reading, if slightly outdated, November 29, 2000
The Unbound Prometheus was published in 1969, so it is not exactly the latest call about economic history since 1750. But Landes makes a very good job at summarizing the basics about the most important economic issues of the past two hundred years: the role of market integration and technological change in Industrial Revolution (though, for the latter, see also Mokyr's Lever of Riches), the role of free trade in the mid-19th century Europe and world, the role of after-WW1 peace settlement in causing the Great Depression, the size and impact of the Marshall Plan and other reconstruction plans after WW2. However, if you are looking for detail on any of the topics, then Landes is, perhaps, not the right book for you (on the other hand, this text is usually used as a background reading for university courses in European Economic History).
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Jack of all Trades, Master of None?, January 13, 2005
"It was the Industrial Revolution, writes historian David S. Landes, "that initiated a cumulative, self sustaining advance in technology whose repercussions would be felt in all aspects of economic life." He goes on to demonstrate that the Industrial Revolution had a birth, maturation, and decline. According to Landes, European nations reached these three stages of development at different intervals thus evoking varying degrees of economic progress and growth. In a work that might be deemed purely economic history, Landes treads that fine line between these two academic disciplines. As an historian, Landes has faired quite well. As an economist, however, Landes' findings could lead one to ponder: is it possible to be an expert in both fields? Landes has utilized a chronological method in an effort to answer the aged old question: why did the Industrial Revolution take place in Western Europe when it did? The author agrees that Great Britain was the initiator, or leader of the Industrial Revolution, and all other countries followed suit with varying degrees of economic growth. Landes credits England's natural geographic infrastructure of navigable rivers along with its social compatibility (this last point raised an eyebrow, as England has always been known for its rigid class divisions) as the basis for Britain's early industrialization. The chapters illustrating how England's early rural cotton cottage manufacturing developed into an intricate network of textile factories, the affects of imperial acquisitions and colonialism, and the evolutionary process of technology in the form of industrial machinery, made for a compelling read. The author also explores such social phenomenon as the Protestant work ethic, the concept of rationality, and the human tendency to control nature as contributing factors in Britain's eventual industrialization and modernization. Landes handled these more abstract interpretations admirably. The author utilizes a plethora of sources to support his argument. From the early writings of Adam Smith and Max Weber to a wide range of economic journals and published material, Landes has synthesized his argument credible. The author makes use of some tables, especially when comparing Europe's iron and steel production, however, his tendency to express his statistics in a narrative form instead of utilizing more tables and graphs can be confusing at times. The total absence of maps is another hinderance.Landes has put forth a valiant effort but perhaps his plate was too full. If the old adage of "jack of all trades, master of none," holds true here, one might mull over where Landes' strengths lie. In a book full of economic theory, sociology, demographics, statistical data and last but not least, history, is it possible for a scholar to be proficient in all these areas? For those proponents of the departmentalization of the Humanities, Landes' work will stir some reaction. As for this reviewer, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to those wishing to delve deeper into this fascinating era of European history. Keep a pot of coffee brewing.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars "industrial revolution" with small letters, versus the capitalized "Industrial Revolution" , May 30, 2008
By James Hoogerwerf (Auburn, AL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Landes traces the development of technology in Europe beginning with the Industrial Revolution in Britain. He frames the context of the book by differentiating between "industrial revolution" with small letters, versus the capitalized "Industrial Revolution (IR)." The former is defined as the general shift to mechanization and inanimate power. The IR is the interrelation of many changes: 1. the substitution of machines for human skill, 2. the use of power other than by humans or animals, and 3. better uses of raw materials. "It was the ...[IR] that initiated a cumulative, self-sustaining advance in technology whose repercussions would be felt in all aspects of economic life."(3)

British textile manufacture was the first industry to convert to modern techniques of production. Britain imported 2.5 million pounds of raw cotton in 1760; half a century later this had risen to 366million pounds, and textile was Britain's most valuable product. Why cotton? Cotton was more readily adaptable to mechanization than wool and people desired the cheaper lighter material. The use of machines and the need for energy to power them gave rise to factories. There production could be concentrated more efficiently, displacing hand work in the home.

Landes attributes the IR in Britain, and subsequent technological change, to the willingness of entrepreneurs to accept the risks of development by adopting new technology. "This was a people fascinated by wealth and commerce, collectively and individually."(66) Urban merchants long ago had learned that peasants were a source of cheap labor in the manufacture of wool and this putting-out was free of guild restriction. Their experience carried over to cotton manufacture. The countryside, Landes says, was "infused with manufacture."(71)

Landes contests the theory that enclosure uprooted the farmer and forced him into the mill. Enclosure was only one of many changes which "combined to break the shackles of place and habit, assimilate the country and city, and promote a far wider recruitment of talent than would have otherwise occurred."(71) The resident population in those areas subject to enclosure actually increased. In fact Landes says, "From 1750 to 1830, Britain's agricultural counties doubled their inhabitants."(115)

The iron industry became more important, but in the early period it did not come close to cotton. Cheaper metals contributed to mechanization, the shift from water to steam power, and later, the means of transportation. Eventually coal and iron grew to enormously overshadow cotton.

Landes identifies a second industrial revolution taking place in the 1930s "by the rise of new industries based on spectacular advances in chemical and electrical science and a new, mobile source of power - the internal combustion engine."(4) A third industrial revolution may be underway due "primarily to innovations in the application of chemical and electrical science, plus advances in the generation and delivery of power."(4)

This work is a modified chapter from the "Cambridge Economic History Europe"(1965) on industrialization and technology. It's acclaim is such that it was selected as a Project 2001: Significant Works in Twentieth Century Economic History.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars The way economics shapes political societies
The task professor Landes have tried to achieve, and what he produces along it, is more important than that whole consistency of his work. Read more
Published on February 7, 2001 by emanriqu

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)

Look for Similar Items by Category

Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:



















i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...
 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.



Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.