The economic war between France and Britain in the 18th century

The economic war between France and Great Britain was fought in Europe and on a global scale, in a political context that has been called the “Second Hundred Years’ War”. French foreign trade trebled in the 18th century, while British foreign trade increased by 2.4 times. This chapter analyses Anglo-French rivalry in different areas of the world and in Europe, suggests a periodisation, and presents some of the available numerical data. Between 1710 and 1790, both countries had roughly the same growth rate in output and in real per capita incomes. French growth was probably more rapid, but per capita income in France was lower in the 1780s. However, economic results were always conditioned by geopolitical and military circumstances. Britain and France were at war for more than half the time between 1689 and 1815, but peacetime often involved military reorganisation in preparation for the next conflict.