The new political economy of the middle ages: a review essay of the medieval constitution of Liberty

The Medieval Constitution of Liberty offers a compelling new argument about the institutional origins of modern economic liberalism. Salter and Young develop the concept of polycentric sovereignty to explain the origins of assemblies (the precursors of parliaments) and free cities. In the process, they synthesize their account with alternative geographic, cultural, and institutional explanations for liberalism. I argue that, while the book generally succeeds, its central theory remains underspecified on account of its failing to analyze the concept of alienability in connection with political property rights and residual claimancy, and that its empirical contribution remains incomplete by failing to articulate a distinct role for the Church.