A review by silvej01
Empire of Cotton: A Global History by Sven Beckert

5.0

In telling the powerful and sad story of cotton across centuries and around the globe, Beckert describes the history of capitalism in all its ruthless detail. Furthermore, he shows that cotton is not simply a convenient tool - one commodity among many he might have chosen - to depict this sad history, but a key driver of slavery, exploitation of workers, colonialism, and capitalism as a whole. Despite some moments when one might feel somewhat bogged down in detail, the writing is mostly clear and engaging. It is one of those books that one finishes with a sense of gratitude and a feeling of having obtained a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of human history.