A global history of capitalism

2026-01-26

Download

In December, the Rhodes Center hosted Sven Beckert, the Laird Bell Professor of History at Harvard University, to discuss his new book “Capitalism: A Global History.” The title may sound dry, but in the hands of Sven, it is anything but. In it, he takes readers on a globe-trotting, centuries-spanning tour of the economic system we call “capitalism.” In doing so, he challenges many long-held assumptions about capitalism that readers might have - about its origins, its evolution, and how it has shaped ...

In December, the Rhodes Center hosted Sven Beckert, the Laird Bell Professor of History at Harvard University, to discuss his new book “Capitalism: A Global History.”

The title may sound dry, but in the hands of Sven, it is anything but. In it, he takes readers on a globe-trotting, centuries-spanning tour of the economic system we call “capitalism.” In doing so, he challenges many long-held assumptions about capitalism that readers might have - about its origins, its evolution, and how it has shaped our world.

On this episode, professor of American History at Brown University and Rhodes Center affiliate Seth Rockman sat down with Beckert for a discussion about the book, and about how it can help us to better understand capitalism’s past, present, and future.

Learn more about and purchase “Capitalism: A Global History”

Transcript coming soon to our website

Comments (3)