In the process of producing this volume the editors incurred numerous debts, which we can only partially repay with an expression of our gratitude here. The original versions of these papers were presented at the joint Duke–University of North Carolina conference on “Understanding the 1990s: the long-run perspective” held at the Terry Sanford Center on the Duke University campus in Durham, North Carolina, from 26–27 March 2004. This conference would not have been possible without the untiring efforts of Peggy East at Duke University. We would also like to thank Nancy Kocher at the University of North Carolina, and members of the program committee Peter Coclanis, Robert Keohane, Thomas Mroz, and Thomas Nechyba. Generous funding was provided by the Dickson Fund for the Study of Economics in History at the University of North Carolina Economics and History Departments, the Kenan Fund of the University of North Carolina Department of History, the Duke University Economics Department, the Duke Center for International Studies, and the European Studies Center. These contributions are greatly appreciated. We would also like to thank the discussants and participants for their valuable remarks, which led to lively discussion and debate at the conference and – ultimately – to better chapters in this volume. Among those deserving special thanks are Andrea Boltho, Michael Bordo, Paul David, Thomas Geragthy, Christopher Hanes, Richard Sylla, Ignazio Visco, John Wallis, and Barrie Wigmore.