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The Origin of Capitalism - by Ellen Meiksins Wood (Paperback)

The Origin of Capitalism - by  Ellen Meiksins Wood (Paperback)
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Last Price: 14.99 USD

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<p/><br></br><p><b> About the Book </b></p></br></br>"How did the dynamic economic system we know as capitalism develop among the peasants and lords of feudal Europe? In The Origin of Capitalism, a now-classic work of history, Ellen Meiksins Wood offers readers a clear and accessible introduction to the theories and debates concerning the birth of capitalism, imperialism, and the modern nation state. Capitalism is not a natural and inevitable consequence of human nature, nor simply an extension of age-old practices of trade and commerce. Rather, it is a late and localized product of very specific historical conditions, which required great transformations in social relations and in the relationship between humans and nature."--Page 4 of cover.<p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br><b>How did the dynamic economic system we know as capitalism develop among the peasants and lords of feudal Europe?</b> <p/>In <i>The Origin of Capitalism</i>, a now-classic work of history, Ellen Meiksins Wood offers readers a clear and accessible introduction to the theories and debates concerning the birth of capitalism, imperialism, and the modern nation state. Capitalism is not a natural and inevitable consequence of human nature, nor simply an extension of age-old practices of trade and commerce. Rather, it is a late and localized product of very specific historical conditions, which required great transformations in social relations and in the relationship between humans and nature. <p/>This new edition is substantially revised and expanded, with extensive new material on imperialism, anti-Eurocentric history, capitalism and the nation-state, and the differences between capitalism and non-capitalist commerce. The author traces links between the origin of capitalism and contemporary conditions such as 'globalization', ecological degradation, and the current agricultural crisis.<p/><br></br><p><b> Review Quotes </b></p></br></br><br>"The Origin of Capitalism was one of those 'Aha!' moments. Wood was an extraordinarily rigorous and imaginative thinker, someone who breathed life into Marxist political theory and made it speak--not to just to me but to many others--at multiple levels: historical, theoretical, political."<br><b> --Corey Robin, <i>Jacobin</i></b> <p/> "The writing is so supple and accessible, and the argument so persuasive, it's like watching a cloudy mixture of ideas being turned into a clear solution."<br><b> --Adrienne Rich</b> <p/> "This extremely valuable book offers an insightful tour of the historical debates surrounding the transition from feudalism to capitalism ... a must-read for anyone with even the remotest interest in the origins of capitalism, or economic thought in general, from undergraduates through professionals."<br><b> --<i>Choice</i></b> <p/> "Brilliant book ... Into the central thread of her argument, Ellen Meiksins Wood has woven a wonderfully rich texture of comment on the arguments and debates that preceded her ... not just a valuable new interpretation of an old history, it carries important lessons for our own times."<br><b> --<i>Spokesman</i></b><br><p/><br></br><p><b> About the Author </b></p></br></br><b>Ellen Meiksins Wood</b> (1942-2016), for many years Professor of Political Science at York University, Toronto, was the author of many books, including <i>Democracy Against Capitalism, The Pristine Culture of Capitalism, The Origin of Capitalism, Peasant-Citizen and Slave, Citizens to Lords, Empire of Capital</i> and <i>Liberty and Property</i>.

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