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The Limits of Rural Reconstruction in a Poor Area at the End of the Middle Ages: The Case of Limousin. Through the study of the archives of the Limoges Cathedral Chapter, it is now possible to appraise the difficulties specific to the revival of rural economy in a poor area ruined by the Hundred Years'War, such as Limousin. Following the passivity resulting from the first destructions (third fourth of the 14th Century) a policy of assistance, essentially based on the selective lowering of rents, was put into practice to help the tenants (end of the 14th Century /beginning of the 15th Century). But, during the first half of the 15th Century, the limited results obtained by this policy and the new outbreak of disturbances brought about a new change of course: once peace was restored, establishing manorial rights became a more acute preoccupation than renovating land properties (second half of the 15th Century); thus, compared to more promoted regions, the rural evolution of Limousin was irreparably delayed — so far as physical, economic and human levels are concerned.

Tinctorial Plants in the Economy of Vaucluse during the XlXth Century. The eventful history of tinctorial plants in Vaucluse during the XIXth Century, puts into evidence three different cases: 1) the decline of old cultures — such as saffron — and of plants for gathering — such as "fustet" and "graine d'Avignon" — ; this decline was linked to the transformation of very small dye-works into a larger industry needing a larger production; 2) the introduction of new plants — such as woad — which were imposed during the Continental System and did not last long enough to have any effect upon the local economy; 3) the growth of madder culture which played a leading part in trading and which meant prosperity during three quarters of a century. Several crisis, particularly those starting around 1860, endangered madder culture and industry, thus having serious economic and social consequences.

An Example of a Socialist Agriculture: the Bulgarian Agriculture. The observation of the recent development of agriculture in the People's Republic of Bulgaria suggested two categories of questions to the authors of this paper. The first ones concern their "surprise" in view of the evolution of agriculture since 1944. The others, of a theoretical nature, deal with the decision process and the quantitative tools used in decision-making. The history of the socialist development of agriculture in Bulgaria is briefly sketched, emphasis being placed on the difficulties which have been encountered and on the solutions taken to overcome them. These are based on a socio-economic model, the main features of which are delineated. On this occasion, the authors raise the question of the neutrality and objectivity of economics as a science, and more generally of the importance of sciences and their objective laws in economic development, as expressed by Bulgarian economists.