Sven Beckert is Laird Bell Professor of History in the Department of History as well as co-chair of the Program on the Study of Capitalism at Harvard University. His main focus lies on 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. The combined examination of these dimensions is also at the heart of the monograph he is best known for: Empire of Cotton: A Global History (2014). Other pertinent publications include Slavery’s Capitalism: A New History of American Economic Development (2016), and The American Bourgeoisie: Distinction and Identity in the Nineteenth Century (2010). 

During the past few years, few topics have animated the chattering classes more than capitalism. In the wake of the global economic crisis, questions about the nature, past and viability of capitalism suddenly appeared on evening talk shows and in newspapers throughout the world, crossing most political boundaries. Partly in response to the contemporary debates, historians, ever attuned to the world in which they live, have rediscovered the study of the history of capitalism. In their work, they have insisted on the long-term trajectory of capitalism, have emphasized the great variety of capitalism both over time and in space, have focused on capitalism’s global connections, and, perhaps most insistently, have emphasized the political, social and cultural embeddedness of economic change. Their work has created a powerful challenge to some of the naturalizing tenets that are frequently found in the discipline of economics. 

In this Lucerne Master Class we will explore some of these discussions, and try to come to terms with what this new history of capitalism is all about. Students’ own work will be crucial to our discussions, as are prominent texts from within what has become one of the most dynamic fields in modern historical research.