Poslovna in okoljska zgodovina: uvod v tematski sklop

The economy appears to move through time at a leisurely pace of its own. Unlikethe political landscape, which can shift overnight due to elections, revolutions, or otherruptures, the economy adapts to changing circumstances only gradually; it resemblesa massive ship on an established course, capable of altering its trajectory only slowlyand at considerable energy cost. The economy is thus profoundly shaped by the longuedurée; consequently, it must remain attuned to all the factors that influence its functioningover the long term. In one way or another, no economic entity can ignore thespatial and temporal context in which it operates. Every entity must be acutely aware ofits operating environment, as well as of what it extracts from it and what it gives back.