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Money & Power: The History of Business
The dramatic story of greed, money, power, and the moguls and dynasties that have shaped business From merchant ships to microchips, industry has been defined by the powerful business leaders who have caused seismic shifts in the growth of commerce. The companion book to the acclaimed CNBC documentary, Money and Power takes readers on a gripping journey following the movement of power from east to west-from the feudal estates of medieval Europe to the halls of modern finance, from the teeming streets of ancient Venice to the serene campuses of Silicon Valley-to tell the story of how business shaped the modern world, and how the goals of a few ambitious people paved the way to the wealth and prosperity shared by so much of the world's population today. A dramatic narrative focusing on the groundbreakers throughout history-from St. Godric, the twelfth-century monk reviled for his love of money to Bill Gates, the contemporary embodiment of money and power-traces the roots of banking, industry, commerce, and power. Fever-pitch moments in the book center around pivotal figures such as Cosimo de Medici, Philip II, the Rothschilds, J. P. Morgan, the Rockefellers, Henry Ford and others. The authors also extract important lessons about the strategies and tactics used to build these business empires.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 31, 2001
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December 26, 2007
This book is a very brief survey of a big topic: the history of global business since the year 1000. It is very good book for anyone who doesn't know much about business history and is even moderately curious about how business practices and ideas have developed.
The book is a companion volume to a two hour documentary by the same name which aired on CNBC back in 2000 or 2001. I had never heard of the documentary when I found this book at a library discard sale at San Clemente public library, but the text occasionally "sounds" like a TV documentary.
Nevertheless, for a introductory book to this subject, it's not bad. If you know a lot about business history, you probably won't enjoy it. The author uses twelve specifc examples from business (and in one case political) history to illustrate how business concepts evolved and overcame philosophical and physical challenges to its growth. These examples also demonstrate certain core business principles in action. If the reader can grasp these principles they will have a framework for understanding the business-oriented point of view regarding issues in the news today.
Nine of these twelve chapters are generally about well-known (or historically significant) businessmen who illustrate points the author wants to make about how business works. (Of the remaining three chapters, one uses a political ruler [Phillip II of Spain] for the same ends. The other two chapters focus on a historical event rather than specific people.)
I think this method is useful for the general reader, because business history intimidates many non-business oriented people. Because the author focuses on real people that a reader can relate to and make judgments about as opposed to focusing on large companies and famous deals, I would think most readers who are willing to give this subject a try should find this book enjoyable.
Throughout the book, the author writes with a light touch of humor, which help make this easy reading. He makes an effort to highlight the positive contributions each of the people made to the progress of business, while also portraying the major personal flaws of each of his characters, often using direct quotes from well-known critics of that figure. Some examples of the latter include Henry Ford's well-known public anti-semitism and rough treatment of his employees, Rockefeller's corruption of elected officials, and Jack Warner's poor treatment of his family. The final chapter, on Bill Gates, includes some very stinging remarks by his fiercest critics, both competitors and former employees.
The author includes this information because the actions and behavior is documented and relevant to the person being profiled...however, most of the information presented casts these figures in a positive light. And that is appropriate, as each made major contributions to how business is conducted today (one, Phillip II, as an example of what NOT to do). If you're looking for a book that bashes business in general and these men in particular, this is not the book for you.
Still, if your perspective on business is generally negative, I would still recommend this book to you, so you can gain some understanding of how business has developed over the centuries. Business, more than any other aspect of human society, changes rapidly in order to accomplish what the stakeholders' objectives of realizing a profit. Often, changes in business ideas, practices, equipment, and technology lead to similar changes in the societies that businesses exist to serve. So, if one wants to really understand more about how the world works (especially if you'd like to someday change it), you should get some understanding of how business develops. This book is a good place to start.
(No footnotes, but the work is too generalized to need them. Decent bibliography, particulalry for the chapters on Morgan, Rockefeller, and the railroads; but kind of weak for Henry Ford and Bill Gates.)
The book is a companion volume to a two hour documentary by the same name which aired on CNBC back in 2000 or 2001. I had never heard of the documentary when I found this book at a library discard sale at San Clemente public library, but the text occasionally "sounds" like a TV documentary.
Nevertheless, for a introductory book to this subject, it's not bad. If you know a lot about business history, you probably won't enjoy it. The author uses twelve specifc examples from business (and in one case political) history to illustrate how business concepts evolved and overcame philosophical and physical challenges to its growth. These examples also demonstrate certain core business principles in action. If the reader can grasp these principles they will have a framework for understanding the business-oriented point of view regarding issues in the news today.
Nine of these twelve chapters are generally about well-known (or historically significant) businessmen who illustrate points the author wants to make about how business works. (Of the remaining three chapters, one uses a political ruler [Phillip II of Spain] for the same ends. The other two chapters focus on a historical event rather than specific people.)
I think this method is useful for the general reader, because business history intimidates many non-business oriented people. Because the author focuses on real people that a reader can relate to and make judgments about as opposed to focusing on large companies and famous deals, I would think most readers who are willing to give this subject a try should find this book enjoyable.
Throughout the book, the author writes with a light touch of humor, which help make this easy reading. He makes an effort to highlight the positive contributions each of the people made to the progress of business, while also portraying the major personal flaws of each of his characters, often using direct quotes from well-known critics of that figure. Some examples of the latter include Henry Ford's well-known public anti-semitism and rough treatment of his employees, Rockefeller's corruption of elected officials, and Jack Warner's poor treatment of his family. The final chapter, on Bill Gates, includes some very stinging remarks by his fiercest critics, both competitors and former employees.
The author includes this information because the actions and behavior is documented and relevant to the person being profiled...however, most of the information presented casts these figures in a positive light. And that is appropriate, as each made major contributions to how business is conducted today (one, Phillip II, as an example of what NOT to do). If you're looking for a book that bashes business in general and these men in particular, this is not the book for you.
Still, if your perspective on business is generally negative, I would still recommend this book to you, so you can gain some understanding of how business has developed over the centuries. Business, more than any other aspect of human society, changes rapidly in order to accomplish what the stakeholders' objectives of realizing a profit. Often, changes in business ideas, practices, equipment, and technology lead to similar changes in the societies that businesses exist to serve. So, if one wants to really understand more about how the world works (especially if you'd like to someday change it), you should get some understanding of how business develops. This book is a good place to start.
(No footnotes, but the work is too generalized to need them. Decent bibliography, particulalry for the chapters on Morgan, Rockefeller, and the railroads; but kind of weak for Henry Ford and Bill Gates.)
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