The Grammar of Profit: The Price Revolution in Intellectual Context

386 Pages·2006·1.696 MB·English

by  Andrea Finkelstein

THE GRAMMAR OF PROFIT:
THE PRICE REVOLUTION
IN INTELLECTUAL CONTEXT
BRILL’S STUDIES
IN
INTELLECTUAL HISTORY
General Editor
A.J.Vanderjagt, University of Groningen
Editorial Board
C.S. Celenza, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
M. Colish, Oberlin College
J.I. Israel, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton
J.D. North, University of Groningen
W. Otten, Utrecht University
VOLUME138
THE GRAMMAR OF PROFIT:
THE PRICE REVOLUTION IN
INTELLECTUAL CONTEXT
BY
ANDREA FINKELSTEIN
BRILL
LEIDEN •BOSTON
2006
Cover illustration by Andrea Finkelstein
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Finkelstein, Andrea, 1949-
The grammar of profit : the Price Revolution in intellectual context / by Andrea
Finkelstein.
p. cm. — (Brill’s studies in intellectual history, ISSN 0920-8607 ; v. 138)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 90-04-14958-9 (alk. paper)
1. Prices—Europe—History—16th century. 2. Inflation (Finance)—Europe—
History—16th century. 3. Profit—Europe—History—16th century. I. Title. II. Series.
HB235.E8F56 2006
338.4’30009409032—dc22
2005057442
ISSN 0920-8607
ISBN 90 04 14958 9
© Copyright 2006 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands
Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill Academic Publishers,
Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
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Fees are subject to change.
printed in the netherlands
InMemoryofMyFather,SamuelFinkelstein

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ..................................................... ix
Chapter1.ProfitandthePriceRevolution........................... 1
Chapter2.Body,Mind,andSoul..................................... 35
Chapter3.FamilyValues ............................................. 67
Chapter4.MasterandServant.......................................105
Chapter5.TheBodyofProfit ........................................137
Chapter6.ProfitandDistributiveJustice I:TheSinsoftheBody..167
Chapter7.ProfitandDistributiveJusticeII:TheSinsofthe
Monarch ............................................................205
Chapter8.ProfitandCommutativeJustice ..........................235
Chapter9.TheModernProblemofProfit:AParadoxbyWayof
aDigression.........................................................283
Chapter10.Conclusion:TheGrammarofProfitinanAge of
Revolutions..........................................................311
Bibliography ...........................................................331
Index ...................................................................355