In this new volume of Research in Economic History, editors Christopher Hanes and Susan Wolcott bring together a cast of expert contributors to vigorously interrogate and analyze historic economics questions.

The volume looks across a range of issues. Two papers address the political economy of the US: one explores how editorials in Business Week encouraged the acceptance of Keynesian policies among US business elites; and one quantifies the role of economics in the political support of William Jennings Bryan. Two papers bring new insight into longstanding debates, looking at the “antebellum puzzle” and why medieval peasants had scattered fields. Finally, two papers explore topics in European history, including the effect of deflation on the distribution of income in Denmark, 1930-1935, and the influence of shareholders on policy at the Banque de France.

For researchers and students of economic history, this volume pulls together the latest research on a variety of unanswered questions.