Financial history

A self-directed canon of 57 books, in reading order, with two references to keep at hand throughout.

Block 1: Sanctions and Venetian banking

  1. 1Venice: A Maritime RepublicLaneFoundations
  2. 2The Economic WeaponMulderWeaponisation
  3. 3Money and Banking in Medieval and Renaissance VeniceLane & MuellerMoney
  4. 4Treasury's WarZarateWeaponisation
  5. 5Underground EmpireFarrell & NewmanWeaponisation

Block 2: Offshore dollars and medieval FX

  1. 6The New Lombard StreetMehrlingFoundations
  2. 7The Rise and Decline of the Medici BankDe RooverBanks
  3. 8The Re-emergence of Global FinanceBurnInternational monetary system
  4. 9States and the Reemergence of Global FinanceHelleinerInternational monetary system
  5. 10Private Money and Public CurrenciesBoyer-Xambeu, Deleplace & GillardPayments
  6. 11The Global Domain of the DollarMcCauleyInternational monetary system

Block 3: Private money and redemption at par

  1. 12The Money ProblemRicksPrivate money
  2. 13Free Banking in BritainWhitePrivate money
  3. 14Good MoneySelginPrivate money
  4. 15Beyond BanksAwreyPrivate money
  5. 16Fighting Financial CrisesGorton & TallmanPayments
  6. 17The Big Problem of Small ChangeSargent & VeldeMoney

Block 4: Economic coercion and sovereign debt

  1. 18Currency and CoercionKirshnerWeaponisation
  2. 19States of CreditStasavageSovereign debt
  3. 20Planning ArmageddonLambertWeaponisation
  4. 21Lending to the Borrower from HellDrelichman & VothSovereign debt
  5. 22National Power and the Structure of Foreign TradeHirschmanTrade wars

Block 5: Payment networks and credit

  1. 23Trade and Institutions in the Medieval MediterraneanGoldbergPayments
  2. 24Financing the American DreamCalderCredit
  3. 25Fountain of Fortunevon GlahnPayments
  4. 26Consumer Lending in France and AmericaTrumbullCredit
  5. 27The Promise and Peril of CreditTrivellatoPayments
  6. 28Stabilizing an Unstable EconomyMinskyCredit

Theme by theme

  1. 29Money and Its Use in Medieval EuropeSpuffordMoney
  2. 30The Historical Evolution of Central BankingUgoliniBanks
  3. 31Paper Credit of Great BritainThorntonBanks
  4. 32Lombard StreetBagehotBanks
  5. 33Currency and CreditHawtreyCredit
  6. 34The Economy of ObligationMuldrewCredit
  7. 35Dark Matter CreditHoffman, Postel-Vinay & RosenthalCredit
  8. 36Controlling CreditMonnetCredit
  9. 37Fragile by DesignCalomiris & HaberBanks
  10. 38Slapped by the Invisible HandGortonBanks
  11. 39Money and EmpireDe CeccoInternational monetary system
  12. 40A Tract on Monetary ReformKeynesInternational monetary system
  13. 41Gold and the Dollar CrisisTriffinInternational monetary system
  14. 42Globalizing CapitalEichengreenInternational monetary system
  15. 43International Monetary Cooperation since Bretton WoodsJamesInternational monetary system
  16. 44The Euro and the Battle of IdeasBrunnermeier, James & LandauInternational monetary system
  17. 45Making MoneyDesanMoney
  18. 46Power and PlentyFindlay & O'RourkeTrade wars
  19. 47Globalization and HistoryO'Rourke & WilliamsonTrade wars
  20. 48The End of GlobalizationJamesTrade wars
  21. 49Peddling ProtectionismIrwinTrade wars
  22. 50The Great TransformationPolanyiFoundations
  23. 51The Financial Revolution in EnglandDicksonSovereign debt
  24. 52The Rise of Financial CapitalismNealCrises
  25. 53Manias, Panics and CrashesKindleberger & AliberCrises
  26. 54A Monetary History of the United StatesFriedman & SchwartzCrises
  27. 55The World in DepressionKindlebergerCrises
  28. 56This Time Is DifferentReinhart & RogoffFoundations
  29. 57A Concise History of International FinanceNealFoundations

Reference, to consult throughout

  1. RA Financial History of Western EuropeKindlebergerFoundations
  2. RA History of Interest RatesHomer & SyllaFoundations