Det villrådiga samhället. Kungliga Vetenskapsakademiens politiska och ekonomiska ideologi, 1739–1792

sented in the book does not convincingly demonstrate this argument. The book clearly shows considerable technological progress and identifies the sources of these technologies (often foreign). However, in the time frame analysed, most sectors of the economy experienced technological improvements, and it is not demonstrated that the improvements in the mining sector were greater than in other sectors. Moreover, the only part in which this argument was dealt with well is when the mining sectors in Norway and Chile were compared. The book would have benefited frommore comparative analysis. In all, this book makes an important contribution. Kristin Ranestad is able to elaborate, in great detail, on the inner workings of the mining sector at the time and show how it affected technological development. This book is recommended to all that wish to understand how technologies affect natural resource sectors and should serve as an inspiration for similar studies on other countries.