The French Economy in the Twentieth Century

This new textbook examines the spectacular transformation that the French economy has undergone over the past century. Jean-Pierre Dormois offers a general introduction to major events and to recent transformations of French society, and an overview of modern economic development. He also tackles the key themes associated with France - ‘Malthusianism’, ‘exceptionalism’ and ‘Colbertism’. Chapters are devoted to the role of human capital formation, economic institutions and openness to the rest of the world. Dormois examines and interprets trends and features of the period as a whole, and sets them in a wider European framework. This book offers students a helpful and concise summary of recent research, and presents a uniquely synthetic view of the French economy in the twentieth century. It will have broad appeal for students and teachers of French and of European history and economics.