Women as Financial Actors in Europe (1850–1930): A Comparative Analysis.

This thesis examines the role of women as financial actors in Europe between 1850 and 1930 through a comparative analysis of the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain. It investigates how women participated in financial activities such as investment, credit, banking, and capital ownership despite the legal and institutional restrictions of the period. The study explores the relationship between gender, property rights, inheritance systems, and access to financial markets, highlighting how women contributed to capital mobilisation and economic development in different national contexts. By combining comparative economic history with gender analysis, the thesis aims to demonstrate that women were active participants in European financial systems rather than marginal economic actors.