AAA AAAAAAA AAA AAAA AAA AAAAAAARAABAABAAM Femand Braudel of Games and Economic Be 1949. SeeL" Anthropologie 33 LAnthropleg 34 Topeak only of g 0 the strategy of games, A different argument would have to beemployed in respect of JImodelt and those elaborated by economins. ier hunene, Bais, 1055, pp. 38-40 and pss. 42 Jean-Paul Sace, ‘Fragment d'un live paralte sur le Tntore’ Les Temps ‘moderes, Nov. 1957, and the aril previously quoted 43 Oto Berkelbach van der Sprenkel, ‘Population statins of Ming China in ofthe School of Oriental end African Sau inane und Agrargeschichte der Ming Dyna 4 P. Vidal dela Blache, Revwe de synthe historique, 1903, 9.239. Three The so-called ‘Price Revolution’: Reflections on ‘the Italian Situation’ Carlo M. Cipolla “The Price Revolution’—such isthe imposing label that has been given, to the history of prices in the sixteenth century. mark. There is no book on economic his tue it in order to explain, by means ofits ‘Open, Sesame’ eect, the entire economic history of the beginning of the modem era partly due to the extraordinary sim represents. When one talks of ‘the price revolution’ one always implies two very simple things: between the beginning of the sixteenth century and the beginning of the seven= teenth, 2'sevolationary’ rise in prices took place; this rise was caused by the tremendous influx of American gold and silver. In his famous book: on the economy of the Me Braudel gives this eoncept hi the effect of the influx of gold coincidence of the curve of influx of precious the curve of prices throughout the sixteenth century is so clear that there seems to be a physical, mechanical link between the two, Every= thing was governed by the increase in stocks of precious metals?” ‘This is the traditional view: a line runs from Jean Bodin to Hamilton (Gnd if Hamilton shows an advance on Bodin from ‘of view, we must confess that he has not advanced theory), There is no real doubt chat this tradition conveys some truth. But how much? 43ee ee ee 2 ee eae pey Kanauo aya Jo yjeq say oop anoySnom asoup pauiior pey ng sapearp Fuso uaayis put plo ueououry Jo xn 31 39 xa 01 pany Ka94 5 nino sod c-§ jo (aasoduueo-wou) asu enue Ser ww Fummoys ‘9S pur 266r ua9nuag sa afaz0u} payzeur jo pound uo] ayy, Dedsox Sige un sueoyedes Signy sf pousd sp ct Azoasny smoto29 wegeay 244d pluoaos 03 pane Baja 10 pay Oo] awssaout Jo seds ann otp st fe 2409 so Yeap ‘peye queniodia ce -sano 9q rows Koy, “send asa1[], ‘siuaunsaaut Jo s1UOUIOA pey adap, past uoudoppaap jo spouod Sutinp so zoyng © se pave af se asnf) uaudopaap Jo spot Aqyanze soveau8 wos 02 serum e se porse 3 par Buoy ayp Bump [fey OU por sou ype wopeq aM F parE! ay suosedde souo32q 394]16 pue pjo8 weauzury Jo 2921p 224045151 -BuquuSoq ayp 18 wey 2480 poons hax porrad ap Jo pus aup we exp os ‘asea120p Jo spoytod Buoy Sutmnp paods panpox te [pj pu ase2s0u¢ Jo spouad Buoy Bayznp Aqprdexas01 wo2ud ‘soA2A04 Sdammuea cpuaness oop uy “Suremfag ayy ve uetp royfley ou as2M% soared Aanauoo atp Jo pus 2¢p 26 1 08 “Buoy Aqjenba nba 559] os29p Jo potrod faoy © ap ur 90 pounjoass, usar ay Sumproae) ao ‘xopezed 20} a1sed © was “sounys1 AreuapIOENIxa Jo sD\Ep!A> ‘aae3 soanid ‘ase2z0p Jo spouiad So] axp Surmp suonaye Ino seas959p sey omy Asraua>-qpuoaixs ayp ur yuaurapp 2IpOUe st 913K ‘sre i i suDnUE S80] 97328 ok ums put aq temp aso pire saeKsuoa “mmo}-AauD.ea) U0 po ‘nita> ypeaassu axp Uf Smee JO spoUn sou op Aaya pu ‘no aad € Jo ssoox9 uy Appaueos sores 2408 um Bumoys spouad 12410 oa oy, sHe06 ayste dquo poe] 3f bie sip tp agnop oust sxoqy, eK 20d 1noo ad 2.5 you 9, 3218 Ut a sanonns ‘seapr ano Ayurp 01 pue uolsnjouon arcunrxordds uw 2e aatsze 02 12ps0 ‘ur ‘samopy ssanpord suainyip 40 ‘ApUaEYIP paryroye> woq 2405 ‘ayy :apmus Aapa jo aq wea samgpus ona asaya 30 wosedaso Lay ese sah 161-0061 fugr-Lrgr ebgr-sigt Sg t—16lr pound ges Azeouo%, jo Arman atp *unnua9 qruaareun agp up pueda ur svoud jo aur Saour arp ay ‘moxsoyy toy, ‘ssoU sn 39] Wosyedaoo yo sxodand 10g g0- Lig t-co9t rep 091-0651 ho 6S r-£L54 Bey £15 15951 er 5961-0981 So 29 tad) awaaou jonuwe aBonay pouag ssmoqjogs fe pe ostrjo spoused Hmeusoye sanous at haemo axp uo ‘snontinues poe 2ap Jo ast [emia xp purypg aseosDmr ap Jo woneuiwexs uy aasoduioa ay auejnoqeo 02 21am 20 31 pur) TeaK sod asearouy aBes2AF uno sod ¢ v unyp 210u Azores ‘hes O1 1199 19d gor Jo asearomE ‘ayy mnoge Jo posed © puonbasuag “(wom ‘(uonnjoa2a, 9Corto M. Cipoli destroyed Italy. With the retum of peace, the country recovered: this entailed material and demographic reconstruction. Ametican metal was pot yet abundant, but prices rose at a precipitate pace, for people spent ‘what they had in order to rebuild. We thus reach a conclusion that ther weakens the old theory: the most important rise in the ‘revo on’ was due much more to the country’s work of reconstruction than to American silver, ituation changes after 1570. As Professor Braudel has demon mastetly fashion, using a truly remarkable cbundance of documents, the Mediterranean, and Italy in particular, was invaded by precious metals from America after 1570. The Spanish Crown, for reasons that we need not discuss here, diverted is treasures towatds the Mediterranean: ‘that enormous swelling of the traffic iu coinage and credit chroughout the westem Mediterranean, which had beea chosen as the imperial route for silver’. But itis precisely the year 1570 that marks the beginning of a period in which prices fll. The mass of money released on to the market succeeded in holding back the fall in prices to an average rate of 1-4 per cent per year. But none the less Prices tended to fill. There are factors in economic movements that ‘operate in a negative sense, Precious metals from America slowed down the fall in prices: but they did not stop it. The problem is to find out what connection there is ‘between the curve showing the influx of precious metals from America and the price curve for the whole sixteenth century’. One small fragment of Italian economic history seems to show that the ‘connection’ was not— at least as fara Italy was concerned—either as mechanical ot as obvious as Braudel claims. Standing between the gold curve and the price curve were men, with their desires, preferences and needs, Note 46 Four Mote about the Sixteenth-century Price Revolution Alexandre R. E. Chabert Adam Smith, author of The We os (2776), wrote concerning American gold and silver and the rise in prices in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries: The discovery of tae abundant mines of America seems to have been the sole cause of this diminution in the value of silver in proportion to that of corn. It is accounted for accordingly in the same manner by everybody; and there has never been any dispute either abo an Irishman of Feench origin, had expressed the same opinion: ‘Everybody agrees that an abundance of money ot an inerease in the exchange of money, +: i of money brought from America two quotations do theory of money— by Jean Bodin a che ti 1568—but they do mark been nothing much worth m studies by Earl the foundation of the famous quantity as put forward as carly asthe sixteenth century s famous controversy with Malestrot in triumph. Since that time there has he sixteenth century have given the old. cal co a7OOO SEES SEES HE CLEC EEE EEE: Rsly. With the retum of peace, the country recovered: this aaterial and demographie reconstruction. American metal was not yet abundant, but prices rose ata precipitate pace, for people spent ‘what they had in order to rebuild. We thus reach a conclusion that rather weikens the old theory: the most important rise in the ‘revo- mn’ was due much more to the country’s work of reconstruction than to American silver. The sitvation changes after 1570. As Professor Braudel has demon- strated in masterly fashion, using a truly remarkable abundance of documents, the Mediterranean, and Italy in particular, was invaded by precious metals from America after 1370, The Spanish Crown, for reasons that we need not discuss here, diverted its treasures towards the Mediterranean: ‘that enormous swelling of the traffic in coinage and credit throughout the westem Mediterrancan, which had been chosen 48 the imperial route for silver’ is precisely the year 1570 that marks the beginning of a period in which prices fall. The mass of ‘money released on to the market sueceeded in holding back the fll in prices to an average rate of 14 per cent per year. But none the less Prices tended to fall. Thete are factors in economic movements that operate in a negative sense, Precious metals from America slowed down ‘he fallin prices: but they did not stop it. ‘The problem is to find out what conneerion there is ‘between the curve showing the influx of precious metals from America and che price curve for the whole sixteenth century’. One small fragment of alian economic history seems to show that the ‘conection’ was not— 3. Standing between the gold curve and the price curve theheir desires, preferences and needs. Four More about the Sixteenth-century Price Revolution Alexandre R. E. Chabert ‘Nations (1776), wrote concerning cin prices in the sixteenth and silver in proportion to that of corn. Its accounted for accordingly in the same manner by everybody; and there has never been any dispute either about the fact itself or about the cause of it.” Fifty years ea Richard Cantillon, another economist, an Irishman of French erigin, hhad expressed the same opinion: ‘Everybody agrees that an abundance cof money or an increase in the exchange of money, raises the price of everything, The quantity of money brought from America to Europe in the ast wo centuries bears out the truth of this statement.* These two quotations donot ce the foundation ofthe famous quantity theory of money—this was put forward as early asthe sixteenth century by Jean Bodin at the time of his famous controversy with Malestoit in 1568—but they do matk its eventual triumph. Since that time there has been nothing much worth mentioning on the subject. Recently, in and by Fernand Braudel on the che sixteenth eentury have given the old confirmation, though there was ni real all theories and they all have their tury obey the quantitative laws, as hat opponents. Did d ‘conumonly been thought ‘Thatamiable econornic his rian, Carlo M, Cipolla, recently disputed aSOC SCS SSC ESSEC EEE SEES EEEEE EEE EES: oF snp sepsuoo om 3¢ A4Suryms azote uaaa 200 2ySNOIG st 40 auay sad § sma jo souroyymuBis on pare “Aarigeas 12038 AraA ses ora jor snoyaaud a5 uoqaa Ayersadso—amrod jeruasso ap te siuosoaor uno nod € toa 30 "1029 ‘re am ppiue ayy ut apeur srratcat {go wornewaadioyur 943 ut say “parsoouoa ure | se 3 se ‘394 2 TwomuDiuo> Jo 9u0q >qL, “suetost ty sowmpyues sr2qfin0> acy] weD axe 3eIf fun | JANEW sm yo se somiry sm 1d2a0e asm 2 “08 OP 02 93189 ‘ow anny | pay “Apeay 205 S2mp s ayp Jo aumaeu aanevuasaadox aap an0y ne ypu Suradre Aur jo vousonb ow 2002 470 st amp spoke Aq, Ayeuosiod poxonpuoa qpseasex Au jo 29" ‘uy ‘Suryeur wan sno Jo Aq[eau Us woRUUSIP SY. “TERRE LeyMaTHOS + Supyeur soy aoueape ur satforode ‘Bara 9 LA 3 pJQJOaN 9923 “woneuedxs Sigusnb oxp asenee srraundre axp da eyes sow su 27 ppreaaxoy ind spuatnzeayp 0 Kpyyea jenioy ann SuxpseBea saquop pauoseor Aur yuosard yeys | wey ay !eeP erase aip jo wonesepssuoa Aq pur somBig yo uoddas ayn que anord oy dn wou ia S| SIU “sApetE a[eUOUOND HBpOUE Jo 5153 ‘ain toi ,/stmnoa3e Aretoduaiwo> yaLA pr032e 208 $20p TOR dsowy ue qons ‘oq Att apaaenpsg roaaenopy Ze I 40} BapAto2 -Anuinoa £3309 pur 28¢ {i249 Jo deonys danurab 24s fo syuouoddo aig je Aq, pasn wuauanSixe orp st spy, pus >pqeusea Jo Ose ae ypmea “aianoe oruouoss yo suds dou gp wr ang “uoRe|RoZ ont ayfnoxq Aououi jo sonriuen’ Surdrea stp uF pumog 2q 03 20U SE sooud tu auet2aous aip jo amne9 axp ‘spaoas zaqno uf “Kamu29 WaUBOAKTS apo seq sig aya Jo siem amps Buramp paremndodap Aqjenpes pu pacensp tsag pey y>ryaa jninsuooa3 tp 10} parmboxauoUt Fpsoamt ap ‘jses 0b uoyea sy ustmnsaut ‘Kared Aaqind ap tow st Kouout sous fuonensng sand uredxo 01 st wioouos Suruyeutor s,rjodt) + hauopd s“9sin0a Jo ‘veqp ang Saeep we 2x0 Sunpopy + Aurowose ayy ur srouraacur fesued wress9x 30 Apisu=It ‘1 sea soaps pe pol ueouswry Jo [01 ay :sapnysu0> e4podeD OL “uorreuejdxa pyoatp jo naaroqpe ap 03 AOU suaasna apes A2u0Uh 24\{ pe pjo8 jo mmowe 2p save afdungs s] 02 Buypaoane ‘smorry KpOq sh Aaa se 203 tAaoarp Aanuenb xp Jo siseaaz0y pare sautsts0p qa 219q, snip eisurotayd Azeiauoyy ssoud Ur dosp e st azep ‘ppnexg: prreasoy Aq. ano portiea soa ur uALogs sf 5 {Jo oy ayp Uys ‘OLS s>YE 9X “TER yo Ainuenb ayp wyas own e 3e Sposiard oud “Su0y¥{“snoUso1D 10U Seas 2511 2p IHEP (pseanap ‘anp seat Kxnsu39 ipuaanes ox ut 2p seyp Aes afta auo ‘xopesed 205 2 oud Samy 03 aq 2 se Adis parse at sapzouoo xoqpne ano “pap 2 ft 10 “Kya Jo ase ough uu ayerado 301 prp—uo4tag Jo ap 9t—Goorp Gnwenb aq ‘aoys wy “saewesp-2x0 ang “Apu 8 jonas, was Sap aap qpiat asuadap pmuogs 2a ‘12"7 puodag o8 10m stn ay “otd ue ‘uomposas sass w sen wo 35 50 aay pue pol woupay {go oy a1p etn atBeayoo ano yptas apnfoua> eur apy “sHe—2K wR 430 1yfia Afuo Suns aea.out yo sporrad aaey 2m 2104 prry 029 x0d €o2 sdoxp ayer aqp aseomnut jo spotted oa impo ayp sog au29 sed <.S Aporeg ase0190n Jo ame [ANU JD SBLep 9soU UOIAIIG MON “09ST puE eSST ruseaag ‘ammaa ypuaaaets agp Jo y[2 puonss oun ut rad st paypeas a1 (eprequioy wo neajy addasm pue eijodid) ope Aq ano parsse> Staq Asmnbus asea, agp pur ‘euars pus souax0}, 105 nuazeg adefosais) 4 da wanesp sso 2 ou kg poyeanarse “Ae, Amnguao-ypusorts ul su vod yp fooxa BumpOU St 91OGL T cont sare dang tassuyy urndse 30 spur oma zon eampow st ad payea-os zueumuins ox Aa aay se 397] “tHo029 put mata sy jo uoddas ‘pdt © 20 “yprasypeg © ut oj thai tpn sows 03 Sun 34 {44034 uee, ano ypu —Apyueay Apoopod pur—d ues dn ayes ot ax prmoys 248 trayqord Kapa amp ‘yp you st Aacsguay qyusas%s atp ang °° 30u 2sam109 4 pue Arzanue si ur at a0eaquua pure Sepor yo prioas sieadea ap ur sooud pue douow Jo same x2pd09 jdde 2q s9s9u pinos Aaooyp Asnuec a4 very '3smo2 jo ‘202 s] a] Tex Wl aUDUE 2|qerapIstOD st aaa paral ‘apa saneooaoxda AAA nnnnnnannn € Alexandre R. E, Chabert sixteenth’ century, whose most striking feature is long Stagnation. It was this ossfied ancien régime in prices which, once it finally began to loosen up, opened the way for a long-lasting rise, giving historians the impression that something new, even a revolution, hhad occurred. This ise isin itselfa considerable fact; and, an even more considerable fact, it had the same impact on contemporary observers. ual rate of increase was, in my opinion, quite appreciable why, in spite of cyclical fills between 1550 and 1560, end always predominates, fixed cach time at a higher level than before (which the author himself acknowledges). However, if this 50 per cent increase affecting Italian prices between 1550 and 1600 Seems slight in comparison with the price movements in other westem ain and France—the explanation is not so difficult to see, tainly does not affect the validity ofthe quantity theory. Why go for thar? Precious metals spread across Europe as a result of expenditure on goods and services by the Spaniards, who possesced this ‘manna'—it is ‘snnecessary to dwell on the processes and channels by which the spread was effected.¢ Nations dealing directly with the Spaniards—the French, Dutch and English—benefted more than others from this exceptional situation, The Italians, especially inthe north, were less advantageously placed for Iberian trade and did not derive such benefit from it. Stocks of gold in Italy grew from 1570 onwards as a result of political and stcategic consignments of precious metals. The ‘moderate’ extent of the ‘se in prices in Italy in the second half of the sixteenth century might then be explained by the hoarding of precious metals for political ends, In any case, in the absence of any full statistical information on the influx of American gold and silver, the limited extent of the prices in Italy does not prove much. We must frst be in a ‘compare the movements of the additional mast of money pouring on tual price movements, before we can conclusions about them either way. Investigation of ide open interpretation of the figures seems incondlusive, what of the economic argument, which is undoubtedly far less ig? In face the assumption that the maingpring of price ards and, T suppose, downwards, is 10 be that is, in the process of economic creation— moderately penetrating economic and ‘tue that the quantity theory of money in uctuations in Ita and up historical analysis, Wh 0 € More about the Sixteendh-century Price Revolution place.® These two aspects are complementaty. As long asa ‘national’ economy is ina sate of under-employment, precious metals pouring on to the market act as supplementary purchasing power and a factor in ‘expansion. Butassoon a the economy in question reaches its production limit, any introduction of new money lea the weaker the production capacity, thes is reached and crossed, In this respect the un loped counties of the present day offer usa convincing comparison with economic life in Europe in the sixteeuth and seventeenth cemtuties. In the under- developed regions, characterized by rigidity of production, in the countries where people have less than their esental requirements,” any steation of monetary purchasing power sparks off a ise in prices 3¢ spending proceeds. tnany economy witha limited and therefore rigid productioneapacity, an increase in prices can take place instantly or, one might say, mechani cally. It is not ara necessary for there to be an influx of additional money reserves before such phenomena are sparked off. Sometimes an increase inthe supply of precious ane in other situations a large influx of answer the needs of business expansion. In that cae, the main tendency as far as prices are concemed will be an increase in the value of money, ‘which will be mere in demand, and so there will bea drop in prices, precisely because of the lack of metal." But in ether case, T repeat, ible only where may very well sil fil to ‘These considerations bring us back to Carlo Cipolla’ as we have said, he takes investmtet variation after 1562. This argument such investment mean for an Keay that depopulated by war? Such a concept is vague even in reference to the present day, and is even vaguer forthe pas. Did investment represent building reconstruction, as is probable? Or the reconstruction of nterpre to me untenable; what can ad been impoverished and stee ee ee 2 ss pb aaxsi meng wosanguou {@ 1p ee 00 Sey stenboruco Ue oy pe Aaupat on 290 avr axe -oue 540 jo onereu oxss0y pueyproujo fans 29 “howe tos} oo! us 246 FlnoyranpeENpIEU pus poo} Jo 22k erp] Inyo Aenoosp ata 2 Aaa 03300 yo ones € adomngy wporarDet Sey ange pt po 900 24 om 6 dpa IX "AR spare PUES AT 9 ated yon nypueay 2[ 945 4 pampe-o1 wormpa es fay pon yO § cgrcie dd oer ps wy Soul ape uur jo Azoaip anaexauenb ago uonnyons aye jo Along e20g + fF d aa0qesog sogn dF 64 ‘wopry sS8igg po ou a sroune> 36rd 'r oa 06r “wopuey "meu “p> suoqurdo ue esos 03 sue s01si pus sajouny Jo s39pe92 242 endo s13f Mon ‘210u soypour ay:05 03 [yor 3q aySrur ae IyBNOMp | PUD Spaou jf gPRY 2xeqap ¥ UW "peso[2 100 5 WOHSMISIP yp 93409 FE) Dynsor sieDUurgAOuuEUUCUOND HEI suai asn pi resodsip aq i 988, eeu 24p s0ygex 30 “Bursq oxp ‘steep “Kaespauasayu ay fe uy seo|arDs pure sromposd ur a5vos2u, id posed sary am ‘sn Aq suaparewae stip Uosa9q oid ut uomeLeA vuyeua © peusew OW pantooiod se $901 tpauzodaut x0 paanposd axe asoqp 2494 ap sf wolezapisues ont uayED 2Aty 248 3 papaa2oad say 298 249 sp [= WO3} 129] st puenuig stoSuesg “aumo22e ont suo1229 sqeygou pue ysrEY 19AIMOY ‘SU “apuuoones uy ano oy #999 2A%4 0 sus poopus Tey, SuEEB peomTEysaME Shewoane ue anq Suypor st sup qe rep Aes sdoysd yp nO; -mxomypiaa0 af, ou popu ysomores5 eM spout paunouoyy-aun sty, “Io purrs 10 hq prapeyde. ‘soxopened mmsedde ap wd ovo wre su, “dydesBourop pa a aymouo%e ue jo spurwnp mou a TaN OF a; Aygeqord a1296%~ Suojeq wep souuee’ 298] tm woa> ey Woy sey “LouszinD. Try Seppe wo ue ‘iuonuaue anBeayoo 00 yp ‘OSS ur anydexdowop ayp 2ous Spy axOur agp [fe se on doap eau spas pre pjofl jo xngun Hunswou3 sap ‘oS 4 ‘ut dosp Hunsua ue anoge Bus Buspou st aioyp “Awowes> uerey ap fo spoau Areiouour Suwosd ayp petomsue ‘su0a4 x0 331129 204 ‘peg Aatour Jo xngur axp pu [263] ‘exon & poypess pry uosuedso yo trpkt ay se woos se oAaMoH “spoo8 203 purwap Supword & 01 puodser o1 ayqeun poureuras pue Aarqers arene tou pp ontario ast ofp put ‘Kouour jeuoutppe jo Syddas © qe Aqpuey seas Fnuaasopeauon see ae ep Sr Aes ura axa sur A424 PAA Jo ‘AuroUo.D ueHery HLT, “SAIS x 10f aBieIpXO ul woRE|PouD o1uy pomod wx2MY pou [ns ySmowp ‘mow ap Aq ype speut snomta jo sSuypjoy Aaeiouows oy “Burpeads onnsuopes 1ou seas ast oop Jo Supdsurenc 243 ssoueistumo%9 299 aeyan suads ajdoad 20g “ooed Ste 1K tour sea peu UEaLIOWUY, SoA aq] HEKPA andeaqoa sao £q 02 ppouiyjas ‘oSS1 ut soond uy ona anenidivand, sn o1 Strzes sn, “Aepoa saznusto> podoaap-raptm Jo anus sr 2ures 242 paygeax sem pao auouaKopdars (pig 2p 2200 ‘skep asorp tn adoang uy sooud ut asx pausuuiiap soss2201d uonampord so AanprSta ay, “1205 uuononposd Susu 2p J I amg a0 ipegy_ Alexandre R. B. Chabert cerain welhinforzned peopl from there regions. He Vo-Quoe-Thue, governor ofthe Bank of Viet Nam, wrote to uson 28 ‘Agus 1936:"Imayselfhave had the oppor ccotomic behaviour of 1 present pursing, prodcsincontevtabl eects on pres, Soll his confuns your arguzhen and entirely share your option when you compare the structure of underdeveloped countries with that of ightenth- czntury Europe. 11 Weshould reall hat indicates drop in the value of money, athe money avilable exceeds monetary demand, The phenomenon isreveredin theevent of prices aling. 12 According to the dasticforraula of Fiber: MV-+ M'V!=PT; V (velocity of izcalation) and T (transitions) are ssumed constant forthe quantity theory 1 apply. 54 Five Price and Wage Movements in Belgium in the Sixteenth Century C. Verlinden, J. Craeybeckx, E. Scholliers ‘The history of prices and wages in the modem era in Belgium, or ifthe name is preferred, the southem Low Countries, is still in its infancy. Practically all that Belgium has to set alongside the numerous excellent ‘publications that have appeared in France, Germany, England, Holland and elsewhere, are the documents that were collected more than half a ‘century ago by H. Van Houtte. They are concerned with the prices of certain agricultural products in a few markets in the county of Flanders between 181 and 1794, and there are no comments ot chars. For the sisteenth centry, to which the present article is devoted, ML Delatte's article on Haina should also be mentioned, along with references that occur in of a more general nature by J. Lejeune and, in particular, J. Ruwer.? All this adds up to very little and it is not sur- prising that such a stace of affairs appesred in the end quite unacceptable to certain Belgian historians, who quite recently asked for and obtained the support of their government in creating an Inter-university Centre for the history of prices and wages in Belgium in modern times. The Centre's aim is to collect iL in the style of Beveridge and Post- humus, etc, The time to be covered stretches from the late Middle Ages to 1850. So its activity centres on the modem period but extends beyond it at both ends, So far only preparatory study has been done. ‘The work chat bas been under way fo: Modern History Seminar of Ghent Univ part of the preliminary stage in the inves2. i ae. + OCC EEOC EEE EHEC HES t }