A paper by Dr Eduard Martí was recently featured at the 18th World Economic History Congress in Boston. As a result, the lecturer, who could not attend the event in person, was able to include his analysis of the social groups that benefited under the military policy of Philip V of Spain in the early years of his reign in the congress.

“Greater attention has traditionally been paid to the large landowners from Navarre and Madrid, without taking into consideration the fact that a lot of people from lower social strata (carpenters, blacksmiths, armourers...) also grew rich through contact with the State”, explained Dr Martí. The lecturer went on to add that the economic and social impact of Philip V’s military policy “was much greater than previously imagined”.