Institutional Change and Property Rights before the Industrial Revolution

Discover the pivotal insights of Institutional Change and Property Rights before the Industrial Revolution by Bottomley, published by Cambridge University Press in 2025. This compelling hardback edition spans 223 pages and delves into the critical transformations that shaped pre-industrial Britain.

Bottomley meticulously examines the concept of wardship, focusing on the Crown's authority to seize the lands of underage heirs. This practice, rife with corruption, serves as a telling indicator of the declining state capacity during this era. The author argues that without significant constitutional changes in the seventeenth century, Britain would not have been able to achieve the industrial advancements of the eighteenth century.

Perfect for historians and scholars alike, this book offers a profound understanding of the institutional frameworks that influenced property rights and economic development prior to industrialisation.