This is the post print of a chapter appearing in a larger collection published by Berghahn Books (https://www.berghahnbooks.com/title/MishkovaEuropean). Citation: Ganev, Georgy, 2017. "Chapter 13. Economics." In "European regions and boundaries. A conceptual history", eds. Diana Mishkova and Balázs Trencsényi, p. 280-299. Berghahn book