Trade, Commerce and Society Week 3 – Law and Economy in the Roman World

Scheidel ‘a typical pre-modern economy’ ‘performance’ ‘Types of evidence’ [limitations of evidence] ‘GDP’ [correlation between rise of GDP and human welfare] ‘comparison’

Scheidel [cont.] ’Demography, class relations and commercialization’ ‘Ecology’ __________________________________________________________

Saller Impact of Finley’s work Why was Roman economic growth so modest? Institutional framework Trade

Vivenza ’The Romans lacked a systematic view of economics, either as an abstract theory or as an activity independent of politics.’ ‘Ancient and modern approaches should be kept distinct.’ ‘The entire Roman legal system was designed, in reality, to preserve economic relations.’ ‘Supremacy of the countryside’ ‘Slave labor’

Kehoe (et al.) What is “transaction cost”? What is the benefit to historians of looking at transaction costs? What do transaction costs tell us about ancient law?

Kehoe and Frier 'Economic institutions’ ‘Adverse selection’ ‘Asymmetry of information’ ‘NIE’ ‘Law as an institution’