PhD Defence Posthumus alumnus Bas Spliet

On 14 May 2025, Posthumus alumnus Bart Spliet will defend the PhD thesis ‘The Demand of the Invisible Hand. The Consumer Revolution and Social Inequality in the (Pre)Modern Metropolis’ at the University of Antwerp. Supervisors are Professor Bruno Blondé (University of Antwerp) and Professor Wouter Ryckbosch (Vrije Universiteit Brussel).

Bas’ dissertation confronts two schools of thought in the literature on social and economic history of northwestern Europe in the early modern era: the consumer revolution and social inequality. The first is grounded in research showing that the consumer patterns and material comfort of a growing share of the (urban) population in this region expanded in each subsequent generation during this transitional period. The second is less optimistic and with the observation of increasing income and wealth inequality strengthens the bleak image of low living standards in the centuries preceding the industrial revolution known from the literature on real wages. In this thesis, Bas Spliet analyses consumer developments in the most important commercial metropoles of the era: in the first place Amsterdam, but also Antwerp and London. In the final analysis, Bas Spliet re-establishes increased choice – first emphasised by Jan de Vries – as a core defining characteristic of nascent consumer societies. He argues that the consumer revolution was characterised by growing diversity and individuality as much as by increasing uniformity and persistent inequality. Both from the perspective of consumer agency and in the social spread of consumer goods, Bas concludes that the consumer revolution alleviated the social impact of augmented economic inequality – but only under the precondition of stable purchasing power.

Those who want to attend the PhD defence in person, should contact Bas Spliet ultimately by 12 May 2025. Please note that the defence will take place at the FelixArchief (see address details in header section).

The N.W. Posthumus Institute staff wishes Bas a successful defence!