Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
The style of the author makes a complicated topic more accessible. She starts by exploring the most common explanations of the origins of capitalism made by pro- and anti-capitalists. She shows the strengths and failures of each explanation. And then moves to set her own by following the rise of capitalism from countryside-England. The chapter about imperialism and how it connects to capitalism was valuable.
The author tends to repeat some points made earlier to remind the reader of them. But sometimes those repetitions bog down the flow and makes it harder to parse the goal of the current chapter. Though I have to admit that the most important points were repeated quite often and I would be unlikely to forget them anymore.
The author tends to repeat some points made earlier to remind the reader of them. But sometimes those repetitions bog down the flow and makes it harder to parse the goal of the current chapter. Though I have to admit that the most important points were repeated quite often and I would be unlikely to forget them anymore.
informative
slow-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
This is a fantastic, highly readable little book that makes a good case for why capitalism is a unique and contingent social form rather than an inevitable consequence of human nature. In doing so, it corrects several common errors in both Marxist and non-Marxist scholarship. Defintiely changed my thinking in several ways, and highly recommended for anyone interested in better understanding capitalism and its consequences.
The content of the book is probably deserving of three stars, but Wood's writing lacks clarity making it a much more difficult read than it could be otherwise. I knocked off a star for this.
This book added works to my reading list more than anything else. Primarily a work of historiography Woods' work is really dense.
The goal of locating the historical specificity of capitalism is really fascinating to me. I teach young people American history and have to generalize so much, that it is easy to forget that the goal of historical research is to identify historically specific phenomena and better understand how the came about.
As I have begun to read around the edges of the history of the left in America and basic writings of socialism, this might end up being a random entry, but I think that it is representative of a style of doing and writing history that I enjoy, but has a high level of entry. Recommended, if your into it.
The goal of locating the historical specificity of capitalism is really fascinating to me. I teach young people American history and have to generalize so much, that it is easy to forget that the goal of historical research is to identify historically specific phenomena and better understand how the came about.
As I have begun to read around the edges of the history of the left in America and basic writings of socialism, this might end up being a random entry, but I think that it is representative of a style of doing and writing history that I enjoy, but has a high level of entry. Recommended, if your into it.
The ideas and arguments in this book deserve the whole five stars.
The style of writing is somewhat difficult to follow; with long paragraphs, intruding notes mid-sentence - that make you reread the sentence multiple times -, non-intuitive Marxists language (I still can't get over the phrase "social property relations"), and repetitions (at one point the author states more or less the same thing some five times).
That said, I can't recommend reading this book enough. As an inhabitant of a late-capitalist culture, these ideas are vital to understanding the present situation.
The style of writing is somewhat difficult to follow; with long paragraphs, intruding notes mid-sentence - that make you reread the sentence multiple times -, non-intuitive Marxists language (I still can't get over the phrase "social property relations"), and repetitions (at one point the author states more or less the same thing some five times).
That said, I can't recommend reading this book enough. As an inhabitant of a late-capitalist culture, these ideas are vital to understanding the present situation.
It clearly articulates its argument but feels repetitive. Still, I got what it was saying perhaps more firmly than I would have otherwise.
informative
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced