The Intersection of Economics and Legal History in Europe's Capitalist Transformation
Jasper Kunstreich‘s research project ,The Economics of Legal History‘, aims to integrate economic theory and history with legal history, offering a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the evolution of legal frameworks. His project is grounded in the idea that Europe's transformation into modern capitalism was driven by institutional and legal changes, aligning with the principles of New Institutional Economics.
The research highlights the significant role of law in public choice theories and the emerging field of law and political economy, which often draw on historical legal precedents. However, legal history has yet to fully engage in this interdisciplinary dialogue.
The project explores how diverse economic theories—both neo-classical and heterodox—can enrich legal history, particularly in addressing issues like demographic shifts and urbanization, and their legal and regulatory implications. The research underscores the potential for productive interaction between the two fields, with legal history offering valuable doctrinal insights to complement the abstract nature of economic theories.