The Cambridge History of Capitalism 2 Volume Hardback Set

Description

The Cambridge History of Capitalism is a comprehensive two-volume work that provides an authoritative account of the evolution of capitalism and its spread and impact across the world. Adopting a wide geographical coverage and strong comparative perspective, an international team of leading scholars delve deep into the historical roots of capitalism and provide a definitive reference on the global development of capitalism and the varieties of responses to it. Volume 1 traces the rise of capitalism from distant origins in ancient Babylon to modern times, determining what features of modern capitalism were present at each time and place, and why the various precursors of capitalism did not survive. Volume 2 explores the global consequences that capitalism has had for industry, agriculture and trade, along with the reactions by governments, firms and markets. These groundbreaking volumes will have widespread appeal amongst historians, economists and political scientists.

Larry Neal is Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, and Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Specializing in financial history and European economies, he is author of The Rise of Financial Capitalism: International Capital Markets in the Age of Reason (Cambridge, 1990) and The Economics of Europe and the European Union (Cambridge, 2007), and is co-editor of The Origins and Development of Financial Markets and Institutions: From the Seventeenth Century to the Present (Cambridge, 2009) and 'I am Not Master of Events': The Speculations of John Law and Lord Londonderry in the Mississippi and South Sea Bubbles (2012). Jeffrey G. Williamson is Emeritus Laird Bell Professor of Economics, Harvard University, and Honorary Fellow in the Department of Economics, University of Wisconsin, Madison. He is also Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, Research Fellow at the Centre for Economic Policy Research, and has been a visiting professor at seventeen universities around the world. Professor Williamson specializes in development, inequality, globalization and history, and he is the author of around 230 scholarly articles and thirty books, his most recent being Trade and Poverty: When the Third World Fell Behind (2011), Globalization and the Poor Periphery before 1950 (2006), Global Migration and the World Economy (2005, with T. Hatton) and Globalization in Historical Perspective (2003, edited with M. Bordo and A. M. Taylor).

'In many respects the history of capitalism is the history most relevant to our times. It's a huge story and is well told in this very important book.' Lawrence H. Summers, Charles W. Eliot University Professor, Harvard University 'The two editors of The Cambridge History of Capitalism have done an excellent job in assembling an all-star group of scholars in presenting first-rate essays dealing with the development and accomplishments of capitalism and the important impacts of national and international markets for labor, capital, and goods throughout the world. These studies range in time from ancient Babylonia to today. All essays are superbly researched and highly informative in detailing the contributions of markets and of capitalism to global political and economic development.' Stanley Engerman, University of Rochester, New York 'This is a book we have been waiting for: an authoritative analysis of the rise and development of global capitalism, inspired by the great classical economists and written by a team of excellent experts in the field. A fine update of our knowledge about one of the big questions in the social sciences.' Jan Luiten van Zanden, Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands 'Excellent ... a wide-ranging tour of capitalism.' The Economist '... these carefully written surveys and case studies will stand the test of time.' John George Kendall, Reference Reviews 'The editors deserve praise for assembling such a diverse and distinguished group of authors while maintaining coherence and cross-referencing across chapters ... the two volumes make a strong case that economic history as currently practiced is essential for an understanding of capitalism and its history.' David Mitch, EH.Net '... an inestimable contribution.' Oxford Today 'In both volumes, the essays are well researched, cogently argued and attractively written by leading scholars in their fields. The adoption of thematic chapters in the second volume presented the opportunity of in-depth analysis of a wide variety of topics, and the authors have generally responded with enthusiasm and striking erudition ... In over a thousand pages, these authors certainly cover immense ground, and the work carries an impressive and confident air.' David Meredith, The English Historical Review