Decline and Economic Ideals in Italy in the Early Modern Age (1940) is certainly the most important work of Gino Barbieri, who developed it from his PhD thesis. It is an example of deep economic insight, investigating the writings of theologians, lawyers and merchants to disclose the Italian outlook on money and wealth in the sixteenth century. Among the many reasons for its new release is the way it tackles fundamental issues, such as the notion of making a profit, arousing attitudes surprisingly similar to those of our day. The original Italian version is published alongside this new English translation, as a way of encouraging the international public to achieve a better knowledge of an important part of Italian historiography.