Ryan Mazzola’s Reviews > Capitalism: A Global History > Status Update
Ryan Mazzola
is on page 48 of 1344
The author uses modern capitalist language and logics to describe Islamic merchants in the year 100 CE. I am sympathetic to his mission and commitment to deliver a sweeping history on such an expansive topic, but I find myself wanting more out of each section. He describes that traders at the port of Aden in the second century developed “institutions” but never really describes the aforementioned institutions.
— Dec 11, 2025 04:23PM
Like flag
Ryan’s Previous Updates
Comments Showing 1-1 of 1 (1 new)
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Ryan
(new)
-
rated it 5 stars
Dec 11, 2025 04:25PM
He then describes long-distance traders using their capital to accumulate more capital — a defining feature of capitalism … but he doesn’t describe exactly how they are doing this? He merely states that they “invest in the production of a few commodities” and “the establishment of long-distance trade” but why exactly does this mean? How does this relate to capital accumulation? Also where did this logic develop from? There must’ve been a material circumstance that made it advantageous to use wealth to beget wealth… but he doesn’t remark on any of these important questions.
reply
|
flag
