State, Economy and Political Regimes (15th to 20th century)

The Department has expertise in the development of state institutions and economic systems in Europe from the 15th century onwards. For the early modern period it has an interest in the rise of the city states and dynastic kingdoms and examines the development of the pre-industrial economy of Europe in the early modern and modern period.

A second focus is the development of modern nation-states, the industrial revolution and the emergence of mass societies from the late 18th century onwards.

A third focus is the crisis of the liberal state in the late 19th century, the disintegration of the multi-national empires and the rise of the authoritarian/totalitarian regimes of the 20th century.

Industrial and agricultural development, particularly since the 18th century, are examined along various axes. One concerns economic growth at the national and regional level, overall and by sector, and its international diffusion (movement of goods, population and capital, technology transfers, development of national and international markets).

Others relate to the spatial dimension (urban networks, transport and communication systems and industrial basins, to the role of technology in the 1st and 2nd industrial revolutions; the actors involved (firms, trade unions, government and public administrations, consumers).

The study of social transformation concerns the shift from societies of estates to class societies; the development of occupational categories and careers and the operation of social mechanisms (mobility and migration); changes in consumption or production practices; social differences according to position in the division of labour, sex, location, religion and ethnic origin.

These processes occurred under political and ideological tensions, reflected in the crisis of the liberal state, political mobilisation, and the growth of political conflict and violence, examined as part of a project headed by Prof. Heinz-Gerhard Haupt  with Prof. Donatella Della Porta  (SPS).

The history and legacy of communism in the successor states of the USSR and in Eastern Europe is another issue addressed by the Department.  For much of the 20th century Russia and the countries of Eastern Europe followed a radically different path of development to that of the West.  The distinctive nature of this experiment, and its ultimate collapse, raises important questions regarding the nature of modernity.

Profs. Giovanni Federico , Heinz-Gerhard Haupt , Anthony Molho , Bartolomé Yun-Casalilla  have a research interest in this area