Beckert, S. (2014). Empire of cotton: A global history. New York: Alfred A Knopf. 640 págs.

Ricky D. Mullins Jr.

DOI: 10.6018/pantarei/2016/11

Resumen

This is a review of Empire of Cotton: A Global History by Sven Beckert. This review discusses how Beckert argues that not only was the state involved in the development of capitalism, but in many instances capitalism intertwined with goals of the state. Beckert uses a commodity, cotton, as a centerpiece to exemplify his point. From the onset, the reader may think they are embarking on a history of cotton, but that is not Beckert’s goal. His goal is to tell the story of capitalism, by focusing on a topic that everyone knows something about: cotton.