In this paper we estimate long-term functions of Spanish foreign trade from 1870 to 1913. We find the income elasticity of the Spanish import demand to be higher than the income elasticity of the export demand. This implies that, in die absence of compensation mechanisms, the Spanish economy was condemned to balance-of-payments constraints when its growth was similar to its trade partners'. These constraints implied a constant pressure over die peseta's exchange rate. These findings allows us to contribute to some present debates about Spanish economic policy of that period, particularly those dealing wih the adoption of the gold standard and foreign trade liberation.

Given the financial difficulties of the Spanish Crown in the 17th century, a willing ear was turned to proposals for combining Italian type Monti di Pietà with Crown chartered erarios, to finance both the Crown and private borrowers: nefarious usury was avoided by granting loans under the guise of a mortgage or lien. The Cortes of Castille favoured the project, but later scuppered it to stop the Count Duke of Olivares from using it as a taxing device.

The study makes it clear that the Cortes kept their powers of resistance for a century after the rout of the Comuneros at Villalar hence the abundance of projects addressed to the Cortes and a lively and sensitive public opinion, beside those addressed to die King and his ministers. The analysis of loans granted under mortgages and liens helps map the slow progress of die spirit of capitalism in baroque Spain.

The objective of this article is twofold. First, it aims to present a general overview of the exploitation regime of pastures during summer time, as well as the 18th-century ownership structure of the migrating cattle in the Sorian mountains. Second, it analyses the evolution during the second half of the century, paying special attention to the effects that the legislation had on the municipal pastures during the reign of Carlos III. The evidence supports the hypothesis that the legislation was the factor which triggered the first crisis in die trashumancia, that preceded the general crisis at die end of the century by several decades.

The analyse of the 1784 «Censo de Manufacturas» represents a sound attempt at understanding die catalonian manufacturing industry at the end of die XVIIIth Century. This Census offers not only a global picture of the industrials activities, but also the spatial location of die main industrial towns. In addition, this document shows diferences in the productive infrastructure use die labour force employed, the raw materials transformed and the products obtained for productive units. From these I can corroborate that the old guilds were desintegrating. Moreover, a general perspective is offered, thus completing previous studies about local activities.

The insurance industry in modern Spanish history has not practically yet been studied, notwithstanding die considerable significance of this financial activity which is not only a reflection of economic development but also in itself motive power thereof. It may also be used as an indicator of the evolution of other sectors since, in the capitalist system everything of value is always insured. This paper is intended as a first approach to the insurance industry in Spain from 1800 to 1934 and as such it has been given a maximum of generality so as to present a framework which may be used for further investigation.

The purpose of this article is to review the works written by Luis María Pastor, an Spanish economist of mid-19th century, who made theories and proposals of political economy that show an knowledge of the economy above it is supposed. With die exposition of his work, some considerations about the economic and political history of the Isabel II times are made.

Esta nota pretende ser una primera aproximación a un material estadístico alternativo y complementario a los inventarios notariales post mortem, en los que, fundamentalmente, se han basado hasta ahora aquellos investigadores que se han ocupado de la difusión del libro en la España del siglo XIX. Se trata de los datos mensuales del gasto de timbre de correo publicados mensualmente por la Dirección General de Rentas Estancadas en las páginas de la Gaceta de Madrid entre los años 1850 y 1860. Es una fuente bien conocida y ampliamente utilizada para el estudio de la difusión y las tiradas de la prensa española, y especialmente madrileña, cuyos datos de franqueo se recogen a lo largo de un período mucho más amplio que los referentes a la distributión postal de libros, folletos y otros impresos.