Capitalismo : Una historia global

No other phenomenon has shaped human history as decisively as capitalism. It determines how we live and work, how we think about ourselves and others, and how we organize our politics. In this fascinating book, Sven Beckert situates the history of capitalism within the broadest possible geographical and historical framework. Capitalism, Beckert argues, was born global. Emerging from trading communities scattered across Asia, Africa, and Europe, its radical transformation of economic life only took root gradually. Then it burst onto the world stage when European states and merchants forged a powerful alliance that propelled them across the oceans. At no point did this epic drama resemble the idealized dream of free markets: from the outset, state-backed institutions and imperial expansion defined its dynamics. Capitalism shifts the focus away from Europe and foregrounds the capacity for action, resilience, innovation, and ruthless coercion deployed across the globe, culminating in the present day with the rise of Asian economies, particularly China. In this monumental book, Sven Beckert does not simply add up the "debits" and "credits" of capitalism; he invites us to rethink the past to help us imagine the future anew.