Autocratic Capitalism: An Introduction
Americans are taught that capitalism and democracy go together like motherhood and apple pie. It may be time to unlearn that lesson.
Islands in the Cash Stream
Tiny island states, usually former British colonies, have been re-colonized by global finance and now depend on “archipelago capitalism” for survival.
When Big Business Backed Social Security
Contemporary conservatives call for the U.S. government to ditch Social Security in favor of private savings. But it wasn't always this way.
The Snow Day as Modern Festival
An unexpected day off work and school can take on the trappings of a religious ritual.
What’s Causing the Rise of Hoarding Disorder?
Now that the DSM lists severe hoarding as a disorder apart from OCD, psychologists are asking what explains its prevalence.
What Would Adam Smith Think of Modern Inequality?
The "father of modern economics" saw a role for a well-run government that used taxes and regulations to keep the market operating smoothly.
How Consumerism Sold Democracy to Postwar Germany
After World War II, the United States was battling the Soviet Union for cultural influence. In divided Berlin, the tactics included lavish consumer goods exhibitions.
How 17th Century Unmarried Women Helped Shape Capitalism
Under coverture, married English women had no rights to their property, even though unmarried women did, making for a unique system in Europe.
Madeira, The Island That Helped Invent Capitalism
Madeira is famous for its wine and scenery today, but in the 15th century it boomed and then busted as the sugar capital of the world.
Luxury: Enemy of Virtue, or Economic Engine?
Today, economists tend to see anything that boosts consumption and production as a good thing. But that was decidedly not the case in earlier centuries.