Overview

Today, a vast majority of us live under the economic system called capitalism―it touches almost every aspect of our lives, and most people alive have never known another. Yet, a cursory look at the world around us reveals that things can't stay this way forever: an economy built on infinite amassing and consumption of resources is at odds with a finite planet. How did this happen? As the economic historian Trevor Jackson argues in this powerful book, It wasn't always capitalism, it didn't have to be capitalism, and capitalism didn't have to be this way. With a firm grasp on history and economics and a keen eye for the telling anecdote, Jackson explains where capitalism came from, how it spread across the globe, and how it came to be the dominant way of organizing life. He traces capitalism's development from the accidental construction of an international monetary system to the creation of banking, the emergence of a new form of slavery in the eighteenth century, fossil-fuel industrialization, and finally the global capitalist system spread by imperialism in the nineteenth century. Along the way, listeners learn about the surprising role of Chinese mulberry trees, Dutch cheese, whale blubber, imperial gin and tonics, Spanish conquistadors, Mexican mine workers, and English bankers in the history and development of capitalism.

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Trevor Jackson is an economic historian at University of California, Berkeley, who also writes for the New York Review of Books, the Nation, Dissent, and the Baffler. He is the author of a monograph, Impunity and Capitalism. He lives in Berkeley, California. Eddie Lopez is a bilingual audiobook narrator and classically trained actor known for bringing rich character voices and nuanced performances to a wide array of genres, including fiction, YA, sci-fi, fantasy, and historical narratives. With a foundation in theater and a BFA from CalArts, Eddie blends vocal versatility with dramatic insight to create immersive listening experiences. He has narrated works available on major platforms such as Audible and BookBeat, and is equally comfortable crafting compelling characterizations for diverse accents and dialects. Notable credits include The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano, Middle Spoon by Alejandro Varela, and Disney's The Muppets. Eddie's background in stage performance informs his dynamic audiobook narration, marked by clarity, emotional depth, and a strong command of pacing and tone. His bilingual fluency and range make him a valuable voice for stories that traverse cultural and linguistic borders.

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