Since issue 117, each REF has included a column which, issue by issue, attempts to put together a body of historical analyses of financial economic phenomena. To stay within the spirit and the letter of our review, we have decided to prioritize the statistical dimension of economic history. In the same way that, according to the saying, “ a picture is worth a thousand words,” a good table carefully commented on is often worth a long article. To take the lead on this column, we have asked Claude Diebolt (CNRS research director at the University of Strasburg) to enlighten our understanding of the workings of financial economics from an historical perspective not limited to France, or even necessarily to “modern” history. To the extent possible, but not exclusively, this column deals with topics related to the main subject of the issue.

PS: Researchers in history are encouraged to submit their column proposals to the Révue d’économie financière by email at: paola.camilleri@aefr.eu