Regardless of whether a global economy did exist or not before the Nineteenth Century, it seems doubtless that some regional economies, the European one noteworthy, became increasingly integrated from the late medieval crisis onward.

Spain played an important role in the making of a European economic region thanks to its geographical location between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic and, above all, thanks to its function as a hub in the redistribution of all kinds of commodities, from staples and manufactured goods to silver, going to and coming from the Americas. This region connected, as its extreme points, Istanbul and Cadiz in the South, and London and Stockholm in the North. The reference to Istanbul is due to the fact that we are convinced that such an analysis as is proposed here would remain incomplete if the Ottoman Empire or the Northern African territories were excluded.

Under these premises, the aims of this session would be the study of the following subjects:

1. the growth of the intraeuropean trade (towards, from or through Spain) and how it undermined the agrarian and industrial output continentalwide, the allocation of resources and the levels of welfare and consumption of the Spanish population in the Early Modern times. In this sense, those papers dealing with not only the commodities but also the agents, the trade networks, the institutions and the techniques that made possible the growth of the intraeuropean trade from the XVth to the XVIIIth Centuries would be very welcome. So would the papers that reveal the factors that helped or hindered the integration of the European economy as well as the Spanish economy, as a part of it, at that time.
   In this respect, the organisers wish to encourage, in the light of the latest historical research and the recent developments in the economic theory, the old debate on the influence that trade had on the economic changes that took place across Europe and the study of the ways in which the economic activities and the income levels of its regions changed before the industrial revolution.
2. the capital and labour movements (towards, from or through Spain). Particularly interesting would be the papers that analysed the working of the international payment system as well as the international investments connected to Spain, since both of them, which were not always subordinated to the commodities trade, experienced significant changes from the XVth to the XVIIIth Centuries.
3. Papers dealing with general issues instead of specific ones (such as the business of a single merchant, a venture and so on) and that analyse the role that Spain played in the making of a European economic region, would be very appreciated.

SPANISH ECONOMIC HISTORY ASSOCIATION
VIII CONGRESS

Galicia, 13 - 16 September 2005

SESSION 24

CALL FOR PAPERS

The organisers of Session 24 (see below) invite the submition of proposals. For each proposed paper, please send (preferably by e-mail) an abstract of 400-500 words to the organisers.

For full consideration, proposals must be received by 30 May 2004. Notices of acceptance will be sent to paper givers by 30 June 2004.

Papers givers are kindly requested that papers be submitted in Spanish, English, French or Portuguese.

Organisers: