Capitalist Economics

Modern economics does not explain capitalism. Quite the reverse: both introductory texts and advanced scholarship presuppose capitalism as a universal, natural entity. Capitalist Economics is the first and only book to attempt this essential explanation. This involves, first, showing how capitalist economic forces are historically unique. Under feudalism, economic forces and relations work differently than under capitalism. Second, it requires a close analysis of the primary elements of capitalist economics: money, commodities, and profit. Third and finally, it entails close examination of the complex interactions between entrepreneurs, bankers, and workers, all to give a clearer sense of the dominant forces and general patterns of capitalist economics.

Capitalist Economics introduces and explains the basic economic forces that shape the present and structure the future of capitalist societies today. Rejecting the idea that economics is a universal science of "choice" or the "efficient allocation of scarce resources," this book analyzes economic forces and relations as essential elements of a broader society. This entails understanding "the economic" as a logic that always operates alongside cultural, political, and social forces. As well, it requires grasping the economic as itself a product of historical development. This book explores the unique economic pressures found in capitalist societies, offering detailed yet concise analysis of basic concepts - commodities, money, exchange, interest - and investigating broader issues such as the source of profit, the nature of growth, and the role of technology and invention. Written for political scientists, sociologists, philosophers, cultural studies scholars, and beyond, the book is a completely new way of grasping socio-economic relations.