This work describes the income and wealth of Britain between 1830-1914, its growth, and how that wealth was produced by and distributed between different people in the population. Britain's role as the world's major trading nation, was an exceptional time in the history of the country.

CONCLUSION ; 1. INTRODUCTION ; 2. INCOME AND WEALTH ; 3. UNCERTAINTY AND RISK ; 4. POPULATION CHANGE ; 5. HOUSEHOLDS: CONSUMPTION AND INVESTMENT ; 6. CHANGING WORKPLACES ; 7. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ; 8. MANUFACTURING ; 9. EXTRACTING ; 10. NOT MAKING, DIGGING, OR GROWING ; 11. THE OPEN ECONOMY ; 12. ECONOMIC RULES ; CONCLUSION ; 1. INTRODUCTION ; 2. INCOME AND WEALTH ; 3. UNCERTAINTY AND RISK ; 4. POPULATION CHANGE ; 5. HOUSEHOLDS: CONSUMPTION AND INVESTMENT ; 6. CHANGING WORKPLACES ; 7. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ; 8. MANUFACTURING ; 9. EXTRACTING ; 10. NOT MAKING, DIGGING, OR GROWING ; 11. THE OPEN ECONOMY ; 12. ECONOMIC RULES ; CONCLUSION ; 1. INTRODUCTION ; 2. INCOME AND WEALTH ; 3. UNCERTAINTY AND RISK ; 4. POPULATION CHANGE ; 5. HOUSEHOLDS: CONSUMPTION AND INVESTMENT ; 6. CHANGING WORKPLACES ; 7. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ; 8. MANUFACTURING ; 9. EXTRACTING ; 10. NOT MAKING, DIGGING, OR GROWING ; 11. THE OPEN ECONOMY ; 12. ECONOMIC RULES ; CONCLUSION

`It is to Roderick Floud's credit that he does not allow his brisk survey to be sucked wholesale into the voluminous, increasingly stale literature of decline. There is much to admire in Floud's well-researched, eminently judicious treatment. His chapter on population change is as authoritative as one would expect from a pioneer of quantitative economic history, while he informs some of his more recondite topics with pleasing detail.' Times Literary Supplement