Historical Dictionary of Brussels

ECONOMY

Economy: translation

The earliest economic development of Brussels reflected its role as a military and administrative center. Thecastrumbuilt byCharles of Francerequired provisioning, which led to construction of a loading dock on theSenneRiver and a bridge, first recorded about 1100, to facilitate bringing in grain and other supplies from the surrounding countryside. Market activities soon developed, and the existence of a mint is attested to by the discovery of coins markedBrocsaorBruocsellafrom the 10th and the beginning of the 11th centuries.
Early economic development was stimulated by the town's position along the East-West trade route between the Rhineland (Cologne) andFlanders(Bruges). An alliance between England andBrabantin 1179 launched a trade in precious metals and wool. By the 13th century, closed markets (halles/hallen) were being constructed in the midst of the open-airmarketsand town-based production was carried out in earnest, notably the processing of imported English wool into finishedcloth. By the 14th century, Brussels enjoyed significant prosperity due to the success of its woven wool manufacturing. Other trades such as metalworking and leather processing flourished.
Burgundianrule coincided with the decline of the cloth industry in the last years of the 14th century, ushering in a long period of economic depression, with unemployment and famine the consequence that lasted into the mid-15th century.Production of luxury items would help lead a revival as the city's importance as an administrative and a political center grew under Burgundian and, later, Haps-burg rule.Tapestryweaving reached its apogee in the 16th and 17th centuries. Other industries included metalworking and production ofreredos, illuminated books and manuscripts, and stained glass. The manufacture of arms and weapons was of such renown that King Henry VIII of England askedCharles Vfor permission to recruit producers. City authorities refused. Port facilities gradually expanded following the opening of theWillebroeck Canalin 1561. A return of prosperity in the 16th century was followed by the departure of skilled artisans after thewars of religion, which weakened the economic infrastructure.
Cloth mills, leather works, chemical factories, and soap-making plants arrived in the 17th century.Laceproduction soared in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At the end of the 1600s Brussels served as an important nerve center in the import-export trade. Imports included textiles, lead, tin, hides, and colonial primary products while exports centered on traditional luxury goods. The oldguild-operated craft workshops began to give way to newer manufacturing enterprises employing several score of workers and using rudimentary mechanical means.
The 1680s and 1720s were marked by economic depression with prosperity characteristic of the 18th century. Government monopolies, subsidies, and tax exemptions marked theAustrian regime. Protocapitalist forms of industrial organization emerged in the textile, glass, and tobacco processing industries. The 18th century was noted for the production ofporcelain. Firm size continued to grow, although only the lace industry could be characterized as truly large-scale.
Following the upheavals of the turn of the 19th century, Brussels benefited from the state-sponsored stimulus provided by theDutch regime, which laid the groundwork for the economic growth that marked the first 20 years after national independence. TheSociété Généralede Belgique, founded in Brussels in 1822, was one of the world's first industrial conglomerates. It played a leading role in non-ferrous metal smelting andrailwayconstruction. Economic dynamism stemmed largely from the stimulus engendered by the railways, of which Brussels was the center of the Continent's first network. TheBrussels-Charleroi Canallinked the city with the booming coal mines in Hainault. Five industries dominated the economy in the early 19th century: machine production; publishing; textiles; clothing; and luxury goods, including gold- and silver working. The last three constituted traditional crafts since the Middle Ages.
The beginnings of modern-style retail trade began in the middle and late 19th century with the opening of three small, family-run novelty stores: LeBon Marché, Le Grand Bazar, and Àl'Innovation.
Mechanization proved rapid by the mid-19th century. An industrial boom set in from 1870 to 1914 and firms began to locate in suburban locales. The Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) brought an influx of foreign capital.LeopardIl's reign saw much growth in the building trades, spurred byurban developmentand redevelopment. Machine shops and chemical plants proliferated along the Willebroeck Canal andSchaerbeek, Anderlecht, andMolenbeek-Saint-Jeanwitnessed the heaviest industrialization of nearby communities. Advances in mechanization led to a decline in luxury trades, notably lace, by the end of the 19th century.
Extension of the harbor facilities afterWorld War Iled to the growth of northern industrial zones to beyond Vilvoorde. Major in-terwar activities included the manufacture of machinery, boilers, automobiles, refrigerated equipment, rubber, textiles, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. Production of clothing, leather goods, and soap together with food processing, especiallychocolateand confections, remained concentrated within the city limits.
Recovery proved rapid afterWorld War II, and the postwar economy benefited from extensive infrastructural upgrading, including the building of a modern highway network. Brussels remains a primary industrial center and important activities include metalworking, chemicals, publishing, clothing, leather goods, gold- and silverware, and research in high technology.
The outstanding development in the economy since the 1960s has been major growth in the service sector. Establishment of the headquarters of theEuropean Unioninstitutions, theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization, and otherinternational organizationshas
had a major impact on the economic base. Multinational corporations, lobbying and legal firms, and nongovernmental organizations have established offices in the metropolitan area.Tourismfuels considerable activity in fostering a proliferation of restaurants and shops on theGrand' Placeand surrounding streets.
Brussels's contribution to the gross domestic product of Belgium has equaled between 15 and 20 percent since the 1960s.

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  12. economy—economy translationSynonyms and related wordsGNP barter economy brevity briefness budget capitalistic economy carefulness cheap cheeseparing collectivized economy compact...Moby Thesaurus
  13. economy—экономика экономия city fuel economy fuel economy...Англо-русский автомобильный словарь
  14. economy—[knm]хозяйство экономика народное хозяйствобережливость расчет расчетливость экономиясэкономленное сбереженияорганизация строение структура устройство система...Англо-русский большой универсальный переводческий словарь
  15. economy—. экономика хозяйство. . бережливость расчет экономия расчетливость...Англо-русский вспомогательный словарь
  16. economy—.strong хозяйство water economy...Англо-русский гидрогеологический словарь
  17. economy—transcription транскрипция [ iknm ] хозяйство народное хозяйство экономика экономия бережливость меры экономии сбережения экономичность страна economy class e...Англо-русский деловой словарь
  18. economy—хозяйство экономика экономия бережливость часто pl сэкономленное сбережения структура организация...Англо-русский дополнительный словарь
  19. economy—Расчетливость...Англо-русский морской словарь
  20. economy—экономика народное хозяйство экономическая система экономический строй бережливость расчтливость экономия выгодность экономичность сбережение экономичный economy in...Англо-русский научно-технический словарь
  21. economy—экономия...Англо-русский онлайн словарь
  22. economy—экономия...Англо-русский онлайн словарь
  23. economy—n народное хозяйство хозяйство экономика...Англо-русский словарь Лингвистика-98
  24. economy—economy [knm] nu хозяйство экономика экономия бережливость частоem plu сэкономленное сбереженияlittle economies маленькие сбережения структура организация...Англо-русский словарь Мюллера
  25. economy—сущ. хозяйство экономика народное хозяйство market economy рыночная экономика national economy народное хозяйство национальная экономика peacetime economy экономика м...Англо-русский словарь общей лексики
  26. economy—n .strong хозяйство экономикаeconomy absolute абсолютная экономияeconomy actual фактическая экономикаeconomy farming фермерское хозяйствоeconomy khutor хуторское хозя...Англо-русский словарь по социологии
  27. economy—strong экономика народное хозяйствоstrong plem экономия бережливость экономия как область знания economies in constant capital economies in labor economies in the means o...Англо-русский словарь по экономике
  28. economy—n экономика хозяйство экономия бережливость to afflict the worlds economy отрицательно влиять на мировую экономикуto animate the economy оживлять экономикуto apply the...Англо-русский словарь политической терминологии
  29. economy—n. хозяйство экономика экономия сбережения сэкономленное структура организация...Англо-русский словарь редакция bed
  30. economy—.strong экономия .strong экономика хозяйство economy of fabrication energy economy heat economystrongАнглорусский строительный словарь. М. Русский Язык.С.Н.Корчемкина С....Англо-русский словарь строительных терминов
  31. economy—хозяйство народное хозяйство экономика экономия бережливость меры экономии сбережения экономичность страна economy class economy in capital charges economys...Англо-русский словарь финансовых терминов
  32. economy—iknmхозяйство народное хозяйство экономика экономия бережливость страна меры экономии сбережения экономичность...Англо-русский словарь экономических терминов
  33. economy—сущ.emstrong хозяйство экономика absolute economy[m] actual economy[m] farming economy[m] khutor economy[m] national economy[m] planned economy[m] relative economy[m] rur...Англо-русский социологический словарь
  34. economy—хозяйство выгадывание выгодность сбережение экономичность экономность экономия бережливость расчетливость economy car expanding economy fuel economy national economy plan...Англо-русский технический словарь
  35. economy—автоu economyэкономичный режим работы...Англо-русский универсальный дополнительный практический словарь И. Мостицкого
  36. economy—сущ. эк. экономика хозяйствоnational economy народное хозяйство национальная экономикаshaky economy нестабильная экономикаsound economy стабильная экономикаadvanced ec...Англо-русский экономический словарь
  37. economy—licit economy shadow economy...Англо-русский юридический словарь
  38. economy—n господарствоnational economy народне господарство економка краниpolitical economy полтична економя ощадливсть економнстьlittle economies маленьк заощадження структур...Англо-украинский словарь
  39. economy—n . господарство економка . економя бережливсть nonmarket неринкова економка political полтична економя rural сльське господарство економка сльського господарства...Англо-український дипломатичний словник
  40. economy—хазяйство структура ощадливсть господарство...Англо-український словник
  41. economy—n господарство економка national народне господарство економка крани political полтична економя rural сльське господарство економка сльського господарства ощадливсть...Англо-український словник Балла М.І.
  42. economy—ек. . економка народне господарство господарство . економя ощадливсть ощаднсть економнсть . сфера суспльних вдносин виробництва обмну споживання результатв людсько дяльн...Англо-український тлумачний словник економічної лексики
  43. economy—.strong [knm] n. хозяйство экономикаpolitical economy политическая экономияnational economy народное хозяйство национальная экономикаrural economy сельское хозяйство э...Новый большой англо-русский словарь
  44. economy—economy . [knm] ni . хозяйство экономика political политическая экономия national народное хозяйство национальная экономика rural сельское хозяйство экономика сельс...Новый большой англо-русский словарь II
  45. economy—economy . [knm] ni . хозяйство экономика political политическая экономия national народное хозяйство национальная экономика rural сельское хозяйство экономика сельс...Новый большой англо-русский словарь II
  46. economy—.strong knm n . хозяйство экономика political политическая экономия national народное хозяйство национальная экономика rural сельское хозяйство экономика сельско...Новый большой англо-русский словарь под общим руководством акад. Ю.Д. Апресяна
  47. economy—.strong knm n . хозяйство экономика political политическая экономия national народное хозяйство национальная экономика rural сельское хозяйство экономика сельско...Новый большой англо-русский словарь под общим руководством акад. Ю.Д. Апресяна