First published in 1962. A study of the rise of great industries in Western Europe. The factors which promoted industrial growth in Britain also influenced economic developments on the other side of the English Channel and there were signs of progress in the manufactures of France, Germany and the Low Countries. The Common Market of the twentieth century owed much to the pioneer work of nineteenth-century statesmen who attempted in various ways to liberalize European trade.

W.O. Henderson

Part 1 The rise of the great industries of western Europe: iron and steel; engineering; coal; textiles; chemicals. Part 2 An 18th century approach - the Anglo-French commercial treaty of 1786. Part 3 A 19th century approach - the low tariff bloc of the 1860s. Part 4 International cooperation in the 19th century: slave trade; opium trade; arms and liquor; fisheries; sugar; agriculture; currencies and gold standard; health; communications; international cartels. Part 5 Customs in the 19th century: national common markets; the German customs union. Part 6 International cooperation after two World Wars: 1919-39; 1945-50. Part 7 The genesis of the common market: the coal and steel industry; the economic community.