Nnsven beckert empire of cotton a global history books

Through emphasizing the international nature of the cotton industry, beckert exemplifies how history of the. Too little presentday academic history is written for the general public. Sven beckert on the entangled history of cotton, slavery, and capitalism. As beckert and others have argued, writing the history of capitalism demands an interdisciplinary and transnational approach, and empire of cotton does not disappoint. Beckert makes clear how these forces ushered in the world of modern capitalism, including the vast wealth and disturbing inequalities that are with us today. One of the new york times 10 best books of the year winner of the bancroft prize pulitzer prize finalist the epic story of the rise and fall of the empire of cotton, its centrality to the world economy, and its making and remaking of global capitalism. Everything you thought you knew about the aztecs is wrong. It is also the period of full dominance of what beckert calls war capitalism. Empire of cotton, by sven beckert the new york times. The most recent externalist explanation of capitalism is beckerts empire of cotton.

A global history, the first global history of the nineteenth centurys most. Several civilizations in both the old and new world stated using cotton for making fabrics, independently of each other. Drawing these kinds of global connections is a relatively recent trend among historians, and beckerts brilliant case study makes it clear how valuable this broader perspective is. A global history, by sven beckert a worker wades through cotton last year at a ginning mill in pilibanga, rajasthan, india. The stuff of roman robes and royal apparel, of slaves and satanic mills, and of a new empire of capital that still holds sway today. Slavery and capitalism excerpt 4 cotton factories, cotton ports, and cotton plantations of the 18th and 19th centuries. Empire of cotton is among the best nonfiction books of this year. Sven beckert, american history professor at harvard university, talks about his book, empire of cotton. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Sven beckerts longawaited second book examines the central role of cotton in the making of capitalism. Beckerts american history, harvard univ the american bourgeoisie specialty is capitalism studies. A global history, about the origins of the global cotton trade and its impact on the. Cotton is so ubiquitous as to be almost invisible, yet understanding its history is key to understanding the.

Thus harvard historian sven beckert kicks off his prodigiously researched and encompassing exploration of the first global commodity. In his important new book, the harvard historian sven beckert makes the case that in the 19th century what most stirred the universe was cotton. It is astonishing to learn how britain became the capital of the cotton empire, without growing cotton, without the expertise of spinning and weaving and without domestic demand. Professor beckert will speak about his upcoming new book, empire of cotton. In sven beckerts sure, spacious, and skillful empire of cotton, we learn that cotton was a monarch of the terrible and flexibly unpredictable kind, a ruthless conqueror, a force that changed our world, more than once. Economic, political, social, and cultural themes are interwoven throughout the book. It is both a gripping narrative and a brilliant case history of how the world works. The empire of cotton was, from the beginning, a fulcrum of constant global struggle between slaves and planters, merchants and statesmen, workers and factory owners. Sven beckert is the laird bell professor of american history at harvard university. Beckert practices what is known as global or world history.

Cotton, of course, has been grown and worked for millennia, long before the development of capitalism. In his important new book, the harvard historian sven beckert makes the. Sven beckert makes clear how these forces ushered in the world of modern capitalism, including the vast wealth and disturbing inequalities that are with us today. This post has been adapted from sven beckerts book, empire of cotton. Just a few pages in and i had already high expectations for this book.

A global history, the journal of modern history 88, no. Heavy going at times, it is crowded with many more details and statistics a few of them repeated. Sven beckert makes clear how these forces ushered in the world of modern. The epic story of the rise and fall of the empire of cotton, its centrality to the world economy, and its making and remaking of global capitalism.

Empire of cotton won the bancroft prize, and was a finalist for a pulitzer. The result is a book as unsettling as it is enlightening. Sven beckerts rich, fascinating book tells the story of how, in a remarkably brief period, european entrepreneurs and powerful statesmen recast the worlds most significant manufacturing industry combining imperial. For gandhi, simple and homespun, the cotton khadi shirt was a symbol of a resurgent, democratic india. Winner of the bancroft prizepulitzer prize finalistthe empire of cotton was, from the. Its research is so impressive, and its scale so vast, that it is impossible not to admire its accomplishments. Cotton, slavery, and the transformation of the texas borderlands, 18001850 the david j. Today cotton clothes the world, still handing out wealth and misery in equal measure.

With regard to the history of cotton specifically, beckert largely complements giorgio riellos 20 book cotton. The epic story of the rise and fall of the empire of cotton, its centrality in the world economy, and its making and remaking of global capitalism. Sven beckert, winner of the pulitzer prize for history, professor of history at harvard university, and author of empire of cotton. Beckerts empire of cotton and the telos problem society. I think many readers are disarmed by the books magisterial sweep across time and space, which obscures or subdues its underlying thesis. The epic story of the rise and fall of the empire of cotton, its. By deciding to write global history through the prism of a single commodity cotton as a window into the story of the making and remaking of global capitalism and with it of the modern world, xi harvard historian sven beckert got me immediately thinking about, and reappreciating the value of, the opening. As thomas piketty did in capital in the 21st century, his excellent recent study of wealth and inequality, sven beckert takes the long view in empire of cotton. Decolonizing the empire of cotton great transition initiative.

A global history, sven beckert reinterprets the history of global capitalism through the lens of cotton, the commodity at the. Here is a brief summary of the book from the publisher. A new history of global capitalism, is a good agrarian, business, and labour history of a single commodity. Cotton is so ubiquitous as to be almost invisible, yet understanding its history is key to understanding the origins of modern capitalism. Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows on the cotton plants. Empire of cotton transcends this barrier and should be devoured eagerly, not only by scholars and students but also by the intelligent reading public. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders.

The empire of cotton was, from the beginning, a fulcrum of constant global struggle between slaves and planters, merchants and statesmen, farmers and merchants, workers and factory owners. Professor beckert researches and teaches the history of the united states in the nineteenth century, with a particular emphasis on the history of capitalism, including its economic, social, political and transnational dimensions. In his introduction to this doorstopping history, sven beckert takes us briefly to manchester, the global center of cotton production in 1860. Sven beckert harvard university history department. Beckert painstakingly narrates how cotton became the first global commodity and how it shaped and reshaped lives of peasants, workers and merchants across the world. New york city and the consolidation of the american bourgeoisie, 18501896, 2001 writes convincingly of cotton as the impetus for a worldsystem kind of capitalism. Those pushing the burgeoning field of classical reception studies probably hadnt intended to leave the door ajar for heavy metal. A new history of global capitalism 01 by beckert, sven isbn. The united states was just one nexus in a much larger story that connected artisans in india, european manufacturers, and, in the americas, african slaves and landgrabbing settlers. Winner of the alfred and fay chandler book award the empire of cotton was, from the beginning, a fulcrum of constant global struggle between slaves and. We see how industrial capitalism then reshaped these worlds of cotton into an empire, and how this empire transformed the world. Contents introduction ix chapter i the rise of a global commodity 3 chapter 2 building war capitalism 29 chapter 3 the wages of war capitalism 56 chapter 4. A global history is a winner of the prestigious bancroft prize, and a finalist for the pulitzer prize. Winner of the bancroft prize pulitzer prize finalist winner of the alfred and fay chandler book award the empire of cotton was, from the beginning, a fulcrum of constant global struggle between slaves and planters, merchants and statesmen, workers and factory owners.

A global history is that wonderful new animal in literaturean engrossing, narrative, academic nonfiction pageturner in the vein of thomas pikettys capital in the twentyfirst century and edward. Wendy smith, boston globe empire of cotton proves sven beckert one of the new elite of genuinely global historians. Sven beckert on cotton, slavery, capitalism guest post by. Sven beckerts superb new book is a history of the overwhelming role played by cotton in dictating the shape of our world. Beckert, a leading global historian, offers a dark story of capitalism, born of worldwide empire and violence. Historian sven beckerts widely acclaimed book, empire of cotton. Beckerts book is more broadly framed and more readable, but at its heart. Empire of cotton proves sven beckert one of the new elite of genuinely global historians.