Consumption as an Investment Routledge Studies in the History of Economics Series

Perrotta explores and charts the changing place of consumption as a source of investment in production and growth within economic writings from ancient history to the present. This ambitious project is carried out with great skill, vigour and originality and will help to bring consumption studies into the mainstream of economic thought.

Preface, Acknowledgements, 1 Introduction: the legacy of the past, 2 The Ancients and inner wealth, 3 Patristics: end of the contempt for wealth and labour, 4 Medieval dualism: poverty as an ideal; wealth as a practical goal, 5 Italian humanism ignores economic development, 6 From alms to human capital: the poor in sixteenth century Spain and England, 7 Spain’s unproductive consumption, 8 Expanding production: a (fearful) hunger for goods, 9 Productive and unproductive labour, 10 Foreign trade: fostering productive consumption/productive labour, 11 The Enlightenment theory of development: consumption as an investment, Notes, References, Subject index, Name index

Postgraduate and Professional

Cosimo Perrotta