{"product_id":"9780745614243","title":"Decline in History The European Experience","description":"\u003ch3\u003eThemes in History\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ch1\u003eDecline in History\u003c\/h1\u003e\u003ch2\u003eThe European Experience\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ch3\u003eJames Thomson\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cb\u003eHistory \/ General\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eThe study of \u003ci\u003edecline\u003c\/i\u003e in history deserves as much attention as \u003ci\u003eprogress,\u003c\/i\u003e and yet there are very few comparative studies available. This book fills that gap. Drawing on the works of Immanuel Wallerstein, Fernand Braudel, Michael Mann and Jonathan Israel to inform his approach, Thomson examines the experience of decline in history with particular reference to Europe. He argues that the history of Afro-Asian and European civilizations has been characterized by a slow diffusion of cultural and technical skills which has occasioned repeated cycles of progress and decline. The European variant of this dynamic was shaped by its unique qualities of political pluralism and economic dynamism, resulting in declines that were 'micro' rather than 'macro' in character.  \u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Thomson develops his argument through a structured narrative of economic and technical change in European history from the fall of Rome and the decline of Byzantium to Italy's declines and to those of Portugal and Spain. Within Spain, the decline of Castile is distinguished from those of Andalucia and Aragon; Thomson shows that the final decline of Andalucia and Aragon in the seventeenth century, rather than being a specifically Spanish crisis, was part of a general upheaval affecting the whole of the western Mediterranean and much of central Europe.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Wide-ranging and clearly written, \u003ci\u003eDecline in History\u003c\/i\u003e will be an invaluable text for students of European and comparative history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e \u003cb\u003eJ. K. J. Thomson\u003c\/b\u003e is Reader in History, School of European Studies, University of Sussex.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePublication Date: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e05 January 1999\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePublisher: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePolity Press\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eImprint: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePolity\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eISBN-13: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e9780745614243\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHardback\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePage Count: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e240\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWeight (oz): \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e17.0\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"Polity Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45985741668492,"sku":"9780745614243","price":74.92,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/9545\/1788\/files\/9780745614243_e59b4234-e98b-4676-82ce-1c8e07a8cbc5.jpg?v=1780185763","url":"https:\/\/fh90cf-fv.myshopify.com\/products\/9780745614243","provider":"Late Knight Books and Services, LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}