Britain, France and International Commerce

François Crouzet's work concentrates on the period of the second Hundred Years War between Britain and France (1689-1815). In the present volume, several chapters examine some of the economic aspects of this protracted struggle, from the role of Huguenot refugees in financing war against Louis XIV, to the impact of the Napoleonic wars in Britain and the blockade which Britain imposed on France. International trade is also a major theme, with studies on the rise of Bordeaux in the 18th century, Anglo-Brazilian trade, and of ventures in Europe by Boston merchants at the peak of the French Revolution. The final articles deal with the period after 1815, comparing business dynasties in Britain and France, and surveying the debate on the 'slowness' of French economic growth during the 19th century.