Laurence Fontaine is Director of Research at the French National Center for Scientific Research in Paris. Formerly a professor in the History and Civilization Department at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy, she has published many books and articles in major European journals.

• Introduction; Prologue; 1. Poverty, credit and social networks; 2. Peasants and debt logic; 3. The elite and debt logic; 4. Urban financial microcircuits; 5. Women's economic spheres and credit; 6. Between bank and assistance: setting up pawnshops; 7. The battle of prohibitions against usury; 8. Political economies and cultures of exchange; 9. Political economy and exchange practices; 10. Building trust; Conclusion.

'The Moral Economy, a fascinating book by a seasoned social historian, is motivated by the question of whether the premodern moral economy holds any lessons for how future generations should approach social problems. Lamenting the extent to which contemporary politics has become dominated by modern economics, Laurence Fontaine begins her book by posing the question, 'Is there an alternative to this new form of savagery that economic liberalism has become?' …' Carl Wennerlind, The Journal of Modern History

Laurence Fontaine is Director of Research at the French National Center for Scientific Research in Paris. Formerly a professor in the History and Civilization Department at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy, she has published many books and articles in major European journals.

• Introduction; Prologue; 1. Poverty, credit and social networks; 2. Peasants and debt logic; 3. The elite and debt logic; 4. Urban financial microcircuits; 5. Women's economic spheres and credit; 6. Between bank and assistance: setting up pawnshops; 7. The battle of prohibitions against usury; 8. Political economies and cultures of exchange; 9. Political economy and exchange practices; 10. Building trust; Conclusion.

'The Moral Economy, a fascinating book by a seasoned social historian, is motivated by the question of whether the premodern moral economy holds any lessons for how future generations should approach social problems. Lamenting the extent to which contemporary politics has become dominated by modern economics, Laurence Fontaine begins her book by posing the question, 'Is there an alternative to this new form of savagery that economic liberalism has become?' …' Carl Wennerlind, The Journal of Modern History

Laurence Fontaine is Director of Research at the French National Center for Scientific Research in Paris. Formerly a professor in the History and Civilization Department at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy, she has published many books and articles in major European journals.

• Introduction; Prologue; 1. Poverty, credit and social networks; 2. Peasants and debt logic; 3. The elite and debt logic; 4. Urban financial microcircuits; 5. Women's economic spheres and credit; 6. Between bank and assistance: setting up pawnshops; 7. The battle of prohibitions against usury; 8. Political economies and cultures of exchange; 9. Political economy and exchange practices; 10. Building trust; Conclusion.

'The Moral Economy, a fascinating book by a seasoned social historian, is motivated by the question of whether the premodern moral economy holds any lessons for how future generations should approach social problems. Lamenting the extent to which contemporary politics has become dominated by modern economics, Laurence Fontaine begins her book by posing the question, 'Is there an alternative to this new form of savagery that economic liberalism has become?' …' Carl Wennerlind, The Journal of Modern History