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stefhyena 's review for:
The Origin of Capitalism: A Longer View
by Ellen Meiksins Wood
This book does what it sets out to do, which is interrogate the common sense history of capitalism (which tends to present it as progressive or inevitable) and shows how the rise of capitalism was dependant on historical context and events in England in particular. She shows how capitalism has been used first to shore up the advantage of those who were already privileged and then how it has become a set of market imperatives rather than opportunities, driving its own growth.
Capitalism seems this way looks sort of cancerous, but the advantage to this view is Wood carefully shows how it is impossible for capitalism to be equitable or sustainable because it of the imperatives built into it, however it is possible for people to resist capitalism and find weak spots in it, which would seem to be the most sensible course.
The book was somewhat hard to read so that not everyone would get a lot out of it. It had many shorter, more easy to understand quotable snippets, was well structured and built its case carefully (with much attention to relevant writers in the field) but it was a heavy and hard text to read. I'd recommend it for people who read academic things mainly...there needs to be an easy version for most people I think.
I found it convincing and interesting.
Capitalism seems this way looks sort of cancerous, but the advantage to this view is Wood carefully shows how it is impossible for capitalism to be equitable or sustainable because it of the imperatives built into it, however it is possible for people to resist capitalism and find weak spots in it, which would seem to be the most sensible course.
The book was somewhat hard to read so that not everyone would get a lot out of it. It had many shorter, more easy to understand quotable snippets, was well structured and built its case carefully (with much attention to relevant writers in the field) but it was a heavy and hard text to read. I'd recommend it for people who read academic things mainly...there needs to be an easy version for most people I think.
I found it convincing and interesting.