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Insights to be gained from the study of ancient accounting history: some reflections on the new edition of Finley's The Ancient Economy

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  • Richard Macve

Abstract

Accounting historians have attempted to relate their knowledge of the variety of accounting practices at various points of time, and in various places, to wider questions of the role of accounting in reflecting and shaping not only business and management practice, but also economic and social organization more generally. Finley's classic The Ancient Economy, which analysed the embeddedness of ancient economic activity in the social structure, and in the status concerns of the free citizens, as constituting a brake on the development of profit-focused markets and correspondingly on technology and trade, saw the state of ancient accounting as itself making impossible sophisticated profit-oriented calculation and rational decision-making. In his monumental The Class Struggle in the Ancient Greek World, de Ste. Croix rejected Finley's analysis in terms of Weberian 'status' in favour of an explicitly Marxist analysis based on 'class'. But he took up essentially the same argument about the economic impact of ancient accounting technique. Their argument in turn raises further questions about the general relationship between accounting practice and economic and social organization in the ancient world. This paper comments on Finley and briefly surveys the contribution to answering some of the 'big' questions concerning both accounting and history that has been made by recent research into ancient accounting history (most of which has been published outside the accounting and accounting history journals).

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  • Richard Macve, 2002. "Insights to be gained from the study of ancient accounting history: some reflections on the new edition of Finley's The Ancient Economy," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(2), pages 453-472.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:euract:v:11:y:2002:i:2:p:453-472
    DOI: 10.1080/09638180220125580
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    1. Macve, Richard, 2021. "Pacioli’s Lens: Through a glass, darkly," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 112170, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Hoskin, Keith & Macve, Richard, 2012. "Contesting the indigenous development of “Chinese double-entry bookkeeping” and its significance in China’s economic institutions and business organization before c.1850," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 42583, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Macve, R.H., 2015. "Fair value vs conservatism? Aspects of the history of accounting, auditing, business and finance from ancient Mesopotamia to modern China," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 124-141.
    4. Roberta Provasi, 2013. "L?evoluzione contabile in Cina. Origini e confronti con il metodo partiduplistico italiano," CONTABILIT? E CULTURA AZIENDALE, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2013(1), pages 91-115.
    5. Basu, Sudipta & Kirk, Marcus & Waymire, Greg, 2009. "Memory, transaction records, and The Wealth of Nations," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 34(8), pages 895-917, November.
    6. Salvador Carmona & Mahmoud Ezzamel, 2007. "Accounting and accountability in ancient civilizations: Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 20(1), pages 177-209, January.
    7. Giraudeau, Martin, 2017. "The farm as an accounting laboratory: an essay on the history of accounting and agriculture," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 74106, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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