Capitalism: The Story behind the Word
How the history of a word sheds new light on capitalism and modern politics

What exactly is capitalism? How has the meaning of capitalism changed over time? And what’s at stake in our understanding or misunderstanding of it? In Capitalism, Michael Sonenscher examines the history behind the concept and pieces together the range of subjects bound up with the word. Sonenscher shows that many of our received ideas fail to pick up the work that the idea of capitalism is doing for us, without us even realizing it.

“Capitalism” was first coined in France in the early nineteenth century. It began as a fusion of two distinct sets of ideas. The first involved thinking about public debt and war finance. The second involved thinking about the division of labour. Sonenscher shows that thinking about the first has changed radically over time. Funding welfare has been added to funding warfare, bringing many new questions in its wake. Thinking about the second set of ideas has offered far less room for manoeuvre. The division of labour is still the division of labour and the debates and discussions that it once generated have now been largely forgotten. By exploring what lay behind the earlier distinction before it collapsed and was eroded by the passage of time, Sonenscher shows why the present range of received ideas limits our political options and the types of reform we might wish for.

1141002883
Capitalism: The Story behind the Word
How the history of a word sheds new light on capitalism and modern politics

What exactly is capitalism? How has the meaning of capitalism changed over time? And what’s at stake in our understanding or misunderstanding of it? In Capitalism, Michael Sonenscher examines the history behind the concept and pieces together the range of subjects bound up with the word. Sonenscher shows that many of our received ideas fail to pick up the work that the idea of capitalism is doing for us, without us even realizing it.

“Capitalism” was first coined in France in the early nineteenth century. It began as a fusion of two distinct sets of ideas. The first involved thinking about public debt and war finance. The second involved thinking about the division of labour. Sonenscher shows that thinking about the first has changed radically over time. Funding welfare has been added to funding warfare, bringing many new questions in its wake. Thinking about the second set of ideas has offered far less room for manoeuvre. The division of labour is still the division of labour and the debates and discussions that it once generated have now been largely forgotten. By exploring what lay behind the earlier distinction before it collapsed and was eroded by the passage of time, Sonenscher shows why the present range of received ideas limits our political options and the types of reform we might wish for.

16.95 In Stock
Capitalism: The Story behind the Word

Capitalism: The Story behind the Word

by Michael Sonenscher
Capitalism: The Story behind the Word

Capitalism: The Story behind the Word

by Michael Sonenscher

Paperback

$16.95 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM
    In stock. Ships in 1-2 days.
  • PICK UP IN STORE

    Your local store may have stock of this item.

Related collections and offers


Overview

How the history of a word sheds new light on capitalism and modern politics

What exactly is capitalism? How has the meaning of capitalism changed over time? And what’s at stake in our understanding or misunderstanding of it? In Capitalism, Michael Sonenscher examines the history behind the concept and pieces together the range of subjects bound up with the word. Sonenscher shows that many of our received ideas fail to pick up the work that the idea of capitalism is doing for us, without us even realizing it.

“Capitalism” was first coined in France in the early nineteenth century. It began as a fusion of two distinct sets of ideas. The first involved thinking about public debt and war finance. The second involved thinking about the division of labour. Sonenscher shows that thinking about the first has changed radically over time. Funding welfare has been added to funding warfare, bringing many new questions in its wake. Thinking about the second set of ideas has offered far less room for manoeuvre. The division of labour is still the division of labour and the debates and discussions that it once generated have now been largely forgotten. By exploring what lay behind the earlier distinction before it collapsed and was eroded by the passage of time, Sonenscher shows why the present range of received ideas limits our political options and the types of reform we might wish for.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780691238883
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Publication date: 06/18/2024
Pages: 248
Product dimensions: 4.37(w) x 7.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Michael Sonenscher is a fellow of King's College, University of Cambridge. His books include Sans-Culottes and Before the Deluge (both Princeton).

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Acknowledgements xix

Part I Problems 1

I Capitalism and Commercial Society 3

II Capitalism and the History of Political Thought 21

III Capitalism, War, and Debt 31

IV Capitalism, Royalism, and the Social Question 40

V Capitalism and the Right to Work 52

VI Capitalism in a Divided World 66

Part II Solutions 75

VII Karl Marx-Capitalism, Communism, and the Division of Labour 77

VIII Adam Smith-Capitalism, Utility, and Justice 96

IX Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel-Civil Society and the State 117

X David Ricardo-Public Debt and Comparative Advantage 142

XI Lorenz von Stein-Public Debt and Public Administration 155

XII Conclusion 168

Notes 175

Bibliography 203

Index 217

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“An incisive, erudite, compelling, and deeply original contribution to the history of political and economic thought.”—Paul Sagar, King’s College London

“An intriguing, ambitious, brilliant, and extremely illuminating discussion of the nature and scope of the concept of capitalism that moves far beyond any previous commentary.”—Keith Tribe, author of Constructing Economic Science: The Invention of a Discipline 1850–1950

From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews