Description
Among the issues covered within this book are: nationalisation and privatisation; regulation, deregulation and liberalisation; marginal cost pricing; investment appraisal; the OPEC oil price hikes of the 1970s; the European Coal and Steel Community; domestic and international threats to national energy security; the electricity blackouts in California; the efforts of the European Commission to promote competition in national and transnational electricity markets; and the influence of history on current discussions of energy policy. The book blends economic theory with historical evidence and is as interested in the political factors affecting the implementation of theory as in the theory itself.
It will be of interest to all students and scholars of environmental studies, politics, economics, business and industrial history, as well as to anyone interested in placing the current debates on electricity and energy policy in their historical perspective
About the Author
Martin Chick, Reader in Economic and Social History, University of Edinburgh, UK
Reviews
'. . . it's a valuable and laudable work. . . I found it interesting and helpful to have an account of the parallel developments in the other two countries. . . An analysis of important aspects of British and French energy policy development based on primary sources is a worthwhile contribution. A broad comparative synthesis of energy policy in the three countries is also a worthwhile contribution.' -- John Neufeld, EH.NET
'The main objective of this very interesting book is to analyse - from economic history and political economy perspectives - the similarities and differences in the forms that the electricity sector has been organized and the ways that energy policy has developed in Britain, France, and the US. The book's organization and the clarity of the writing make for a highly rewarding read. . . Chick has dedicated many years to studying the electricity sector, and this book demonstrates his mastery of this complex industry. . . Chick's book will be of decided interest to energy specialists, but it will also appeal to a broader readership including economic historians, political economists, and other social scientists who wish to understand the crucial role that energy has played in international politics, economic growth, and human welfare during the period since the Second World War.' -- Judith Clifton, The Economic History Review
'Chick's superb study of this crucial sector goes right to the heart of a number of problems associated with markets and government, casting light on each. It also sheds light in unexpected areas, and in particular on the history of economic thought. Above all, this volume succeeds admirably in fusing the best techniques of business and economic history to show why history matters for present-day policy.' -- Roger Middleton, Business History
'This history of the post-WWII electricity supply industry in France, Great Britain and the US is well researched and well written. . . The author draws on newly available archival material to develop a sophisticated, deeply informed portrayal of the evolutionary process in each nation. . . This well-crafted industrial history should be of interest to practitioners and policy makers as well as students and scholars. Highly recommended.' -- R.C. Singleton, Choice
Book Information
ISBN 9781848445918
Author Martin Chick
Format Paperback
Page Count 224
Imprint Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd
Publisher Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd
