The object of this paper is to assess and analyze the economic policies of the Spanish Government between 1760–1790. After reviewing the major criticisms of die role of die State, three basic areas are considered. First, a survey of die principal measures introduced and their aims; second, die process of policy making and, three, die consequences of economic policy on growth. We suggest mat perhaps some of the traditional interpretations of the role of die State in this period need to be reexamined.

The article is divided into three sections. In the first I examine long term changes in final agricultural output between 1891 and 1936, which indicates that only from 1909/13 did land and labour productivity start to increase. In die second section I present figures for regional productivity in 1929/33, and suggest reasons why some of the major local differences occurred. Finally, I show changes in regional productivity between 1909/13 and 1929/33, the period identified as die one with greatest productivity growth. The article also includes appendices which explain the methods used, and provides Tables showing the results by province.

The author proposes a method of comparing different levels of factor market integration in Spain. This method consists of standarizing four indicators about labor market (L), land market (T1 y T2) and capital market (K) to build an composit indicator. This permits us to make some generalizations concerning the level of market integration in northern Spain.

This article considers the importance of sugar in the Cuban economy in the first twelve years after the Revolution. Two major emphases in policy can be identified. From 1959 the revolutionary leaders attempted to diversify away from sugar, but with only limited success. By 1970 the failure of this policy was evident and a second approach, which placed sugar in the forefront of economy policy, was introduced.

Through an examination of a source which has been little used to date, namely mortgages in the archives of the Banco Hipotecario de España, I have tried to measure changes in land prices. Both short and long term fluctuations are considered, and these show a close relationship to other economic variables. Finally, by looking at the experience of different agricultural commodities, we are able both to check, and explain, the changes in land prices.

La economía española a lo largo del siglo xix, en su proceso de transformación hacia una configuración de tipo capitalista, tuvo entre sus notas definitorias la superposición o coexistencia de formas antiguas y modernas: lo que el profesor Sánchez-Albornoz designó como una economía dual. Esta dualidad se manifestó también en las modalidades jurídicas de asociación mercantil, en las que predominaban las formas de tipo antiguo —las sociedades colectivas y comanditarias— mientras se abrían paso tardía y lentamente, con no pocos titubeos e incluso retrocesos, las formas más modernas, las sociedades de responsabilidad limitada, las sociedades anónimas. El objeto de estas notas es analizar las causas que pudieron actuar como lógica económica para mantener este predominio, y al mismo tiempo evaluar los efectos que de ello se derivaron, habida cuenta de la influencia que las formas de asociación empresarial tienen sobre los procesos de crecimiento económico.

Durante los días 16 al 19 de mayo de 1993 tuvo lugar en San Miniato (Toscana, Italia) la preconferencia de la sesión B del XI Congreso Internacional de Historia Económica bajo el título de European networks: New Approaches to the Development of a Transnational Transport and Communications System (xixth and xxth Centuries). Como es conocido, las denominadas reuniones B de los Congresos de la Asociación Internacional de Historia Económica tienen como objetivo central el fomento de la coordinación investigadora de amplias áreas en las que los trabajos realizados o en marcha son relativamente numerosos, abarcando además una amplia nómina de investigadores de varios países. Este ha sido, fundamentalmente, el interés de los organizadores de la sesión: los profesores A. Carreras, A. Giuntini y la profesora M. Merger.

This paper adresses some of the most important trends in economic and social German historiography in the last fifteen years. The study focuses on the period of industrialization and analyzes and elaborates on six theses which traditional interpretations have postulated to explain the singularity and success of German modernization: the fast industrialization process; the existence of a «labour surplus»; the decisive role played both by Zollverein and railways; the rise of «organized capitalism» and the favourable influence of burgeoisie and entrepreneurship. Two main ideas —economic backwardness and Sonderweg— which underlie most research are also analized.

The paper concludes that, although the six traditional dieses are shown to be controversial in most comparative, regional and econometric recent studies, German historian's work is still based on diem.