The Origins, Current State, and Future of Capitalism

Starting with the dawn of market capitalism in Renaissance Italy, Professor Reinert works at the intersection of economic ideas, policies, and practices in history, particularly as seen through the lens of national strategies in international competition. He seeks to shed light on big questions: Where did capitalism originate, what is it now, and what might it become in the future? How do political communities rise and decline economically? How have governments influenced businesses and economic development through their policies? What is the relationship between international trade and national security? In this pursuit, he has challenged many accepted truths about the origins of political economy and the nature of economic policy and competition. By creating coherent accounts of the economic ideas of the past and their real-world consequences, Professor Reinert offers a basis for rethinking fundamental assumptions in a time of economic turmoil.