No abstract

ResumenEl análisis de la evolución de la localización de la actividad económica en Portugal, entre 1890 y 1980, nos muestra un fuerte proceso de concentración de la producción en las zonas costeras, coincidiendo con el proceso de decadencia de las provincias agrícolas del interior. A su vez, la evolución de la desigualdad espacial sigue una curva U-invertida, en la línea de lo observado en otras regiones de Europa, pero con el punto máxima desigualdad hacia 1970, mucho más tarde que esas regiones. Las razones de ese comportamiento estarían en las dificultades que tuvo el país para modernizar la economía JEL: N9, R1 AbstractThe analysis of the evolution of the localization of the economic activity in Portugal, among 1890 and 1980, shows a strong process of concentration of the economic activity in the coastal zones, coinciding with the process of decline of the agriculture in the inner provinces. At the same time, the evolution of spatial inequality follows a U-inverted curve, in line with that observed in other regions of Europe, with the unequal peak around 1970, much later than those regions. The reasons for this behavior would be found in the difficulties experienced by the country in their effort to modernize the industry in the lagged regions, and the benefits generated by the agglomeration economies in the more developed regions.

No abstract

Classical Trade Protectionism 1815-1914 will bring readers up to date with recent empirical research carried out in the field.Long-held views on modern trade policies have been challenged by the introduction of recent theoretical developments in international economics and in measurement techniques brought about in the 1960s and 1970s. One question in particular has attracted attention and has contributed to the bringing to light of a number of heretofore ignored measurement and interpretation problems: the assessment of French and British nineteenth-century trade policies.Classical Trade Protectionism 1815-1914 examines the theoretical and practical problems associated with the assessment and measurement of the direct impact of tariffs, prohibitions and quotas on domestic prices, output structure and competitiveness. The contributors to this volume also examine the direct and long-run consequences of protectionist measures on particular economies, utilising evidence from in-depth investigations of trade statistics as well as 'best practice' statistical techniques such as effective protection, elasticity of demand and revealed comparative advantage.

From the independence of Brazil in 1822 down to the independence of the African colonies in 1975, successive Portuguese governments became engaged in maintaining, enlarging, developing and, ultimately, in defending an empire in Africa. The literature on the Portuguese African empire is largely concerned with discussing the economic and political motives behind imperial policy1. Thus, the evaluation of the costs and benefits of the empire for the metropolitan economy —or, for that matter, the colonial economies— has not received much attention. This paper attempts to provide some of the evidence necessary to conduct such an evaluation2.