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  • © 2020

A History of Global Capitalism

Feuding Elites and Imperial Expansion

  • Is ambitious in scope and original in spirit at a time of profound socioeconomic change
  • Offers impressive historical sweep unmatched in the literature
  • Presents a fast and reliable diagnosis of geopolitical changes with a historical focus

Part of the book series: Frontiers in Economic History (FEH)

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Table of contents (13 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xv
  2. Capitalism and Elite Feud: A Short Introduction

    • Sambit Bhattacharyya
    Pages 1-7
  3. Theoretical Framework

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 9-9
  4. Rent, Elite Feuds and Imperial Expansion in Early Modern and Modern Europe

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 25-25
    2. Expansionism in the American and Australian Colonies

      • Sambit Bhattacharyya
      Pages 71-79
  5. The Post War Period

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 101-101
    2. Cold War Rivalry in a Bipolar World

      • Sambit Bhattacharyya
      Pages 103-123
  6. Going Forward: What to Expect?

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 179-179
  7. A Survey of the Literature

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 199-199
  8. Back Matter

    Pages 223-239

About this book

The book sets out to explore the economic motivations of imperial expansion under capitalism. This undoubtedly is related to two fundamental research questions in economic sciences. First, what factors explain the divergence in living standards across countries under the capitalist economic system? Second, what ensures internal and external stability of the capitalist economic system? The book adopts a unified approach to address these questions. 
 
Using the standard growth model it shows that improvements in living standards are dependent on access to raw materials, labour, capital, technology, and perhaps most importantly 'economies of scale'. Empires ensure scale economy through guaranteed access to markets and raw materials. The stability of the system depends on growth and distribution and it is not possible to have one without the other. However, the quest for growth and imperial expansion implies that one empire invariably comes into conflict with another. This is perhaps the most unstable and potentially dangerous characteristic of the capitalist system. Using extensive historical accounts the book shows that this inherent tension can be best managed by acknowledging mutual spheres of influence within the international system along the lines of the 1815 Vienna Congress. 
 
This timely publication addresses not only students and scholars of economics, geography, political science, and history, but also general readers interested in a better understanding of economic development, international relations, and the history of global capitalism. 





Authors and Affiliations

  • Department of Economics, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK

    Sambit Bhattacharyya

About the author

Sambit Bhattacharyya is a Reader in Economics at the University of Sussex, UK. He has published widely and made significant contributions to the fields of development economics, economic history and political economy. He co-edits an influential international journal on development economics. He also appeared on TV and Radio programmes and advised governments on public policy issues.

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 89.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access