Compassionate Capitalism: Business and Community in Medieval England

Description

Compassionate Capitalism makes a major contribution to the field of economic history by providing a long-run perspective on the history of capitalism, social responsibility and philanthropy. It may seem like a recent trend, but the businesses have been practicing 'compassionate capitalism' for nearly a thousand years. Based on the recently discovered historical documents on Cambridge's sophisticated urban property market during the Commercial Revolution, this book explores how successful entrepreneurs employed the wealth they had accumulated to the benefit of the community. Cutting across disciplines, from economic and business history to entrepreneurship, philanthropy and medieval studies, this outstanding study presents an invaluable contribution to our knowledge of the early phases of capitalism.

Catherine Casson is Lecturer in Enterprise at the Alliance Manchester Business School at the University of Manchester. Mark Casson is Professor of Economics at the University of Reading and Director of the Centre for Institutions and Economic History. A Fellow of the British Academy, he has published extensively in the fields of the fields of economic history, international business, entrepreneurship and transport studies. John S. Lee is Research Associate at the Centre for Medieval Studies at the University of York. His publications include Cambridge and its Economic Region, 1450-1560 (Hatfield, 2005). Katie Phillips is an AHRC-funded PhD student in Medieval Studies at the University of Reading.

"Our knowledge of early capitalism is far from perfect. This book makes an important contribution to redress this situation, while also providing very valuable new information about medieval Cambridge and its territory." Guido Alfani, Bocconi University "A novel and creative approach to the Capitalism debate. The transcription and analysis of primary sources are valuable contribution to medieval and early modern social, economic and business history." Claudia Jefferies, City, University London "This study of the medieval property market in Cambridge, presented in the context of medieval capitalism and Christian charitable foundations, will be widely welcomed." Nick Mayhew, University of Oxford