A Brief History of Capitalism

A Brief History of Capitalism explores the origins, evolution, and enduring influence of an economic system built around private ownership, market exchange, investment, and the pursuit of profit.

From the commercial networks of medieval Europe and the expansion of global trade to the Industrial Revolution and the rise of modern financial institutions, this book traces the historical developments, economic ideas, and social transformations that shaped capitalist economies.

Discover how influential thinkers such as Adam Smith, David Ricardo, Karl Marx, Joseph Schumpeter, John Maynard Keynes, and Friedrich Hayek contributed to debates about markets, competition, labour, economic growth, and the role of government. Explore the emergence of industrial capitalism, the development of modern corporations, and the changing relationship between capital, workers, and the state.

Through an accessible examination of mercantilism, laissez-faire economics, industrial capitalism, welfare capitalism, neoliberalism, and global financial markets, this book reveals how capitalist systems have evolved in response to technological innovation, political change, economic crises, and shifting social expectations.

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