In discussions on European pre-modern economic growth, the role of individual freedom and of the state has loomed large. This book examines whether different kinds of 'freedoms' (absolutist, parliamentary and republican) caused different economic outcomes, and shows the effect of different political regimes on long term development. It thus offers new answers to debates on the transition from feudalism to capitalism and on the causes of pre-industrial growth and divergence.

List of figures, List of tables, Acknowledgements, Abbreviations, 1 Introduction: states and markets, 2 Freedom, freedoms and growth, 3 The late medieval crisis as an 'integration crisis', 4 States and fairs, 5 Cities and the rise of Italian territorial states, 6 The origins of protoindustry, c.1300-c.1550, 7 Markets and states, c.1300-c.1550, 8 Conclusion, Bibliography, Index