Servants of liquidation: The clerical staff at the First Debt Office in Sweden, c. 1719–1730
研究了1719年瑞典债务办公室的文书人员如何利用债务市场专业知识帮助清算前朝债务，并揭示其作为中介在信用体系中的角色与争议，为理解可信承诺提供了新视角。
The extensive use of white collar workers, such as bookkeepers and clerks, played a crucial role in the formation of modern states during the early modern period. This article focuses on the formation of a Debt Office in Sweden, which was opened in 1719 in order to administer the liquidation of the debt accrued during the previous royal regime. By utilizing the available expertise that had been working on the debt market, it was relatively easy for the new parliamentary rule to found the office. The office became part of the credit system when it interacted with various creditors. The clerical staff helped the market to function by providing intermediation, but their role became increasingly contentious. By examining the clerical staff, we learn how the authorities tried to build a trustworthy institution. The case thereby offers another perspective on credible commitment than research which concentrates on formal political institutions.