Crises and Transformation in the Mediterranean World: Lessons from Catalonia

This edited collection presents an economic history of Catalonia and its economic crises, from Roman times to the political difficulties of the present day. It considers how the strong identity of the Catalan people has been reinforced in critical episodes such as the commercial revolution of the Late Medieval Age, the 1640 rebellion, the Succession War of 1705-1714, the industrial revolution of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and the strong repression during early Francoism. The book also explores how historical parallels from Catalonia’s past might shed light on the long-term consequences of the Great Recession of 2007-9 and recovery in the EU, showing how the typical Mediterranean approach of adjusting to crises by depreciating currencies and expanding public deficits has been less straightforward during the most recent financial crisis. A particularly deep slump has contributed to fostering the claim for independence of Catalonia in recent times, echoing larger dissatisfaction with EU monetary policy. With a comprehensive overview of major events in Catalonian economic history and their broader implications to European political economy and development, this book will be of interest to students and academics in economic history, social history, and monetary economics.

Jordi Catalan Vidal is Professor of Economic History at the University of Barcelona, Spain.