"The dramatic collapse of state socialism, the revolutionary advance of once-stagnant economies, and, yes, recent financial crisis have all conspired to make capitalism an urgent topic of contemporary research. Jürgen Kocka has distilled his vast command of social history into a gem-like narrative of global capitalism that provides the long-term perspective needed for current debate."--Charles S. Maier, author of Leviathan 2.0: Inventing Modern Statehood

"Capitalism makes a lifetime of research brilliantly accessible to a large readership. It deserves to become a bestseller."--Patrick O'Brien, London School of Economics

"Capitalism is a terrifically valuable book, distinguished by its breadth of learning, clarity, and concision. Its description and analysis are combined with a surety of judgment based on Kocka's long contemplation of the subject."--Jerry Z. Muller, Catholic University of America

"Jürgen Kocka is one of the most distinguished European historians of his generation and his books are always significant events. This compact book has all of his virtues: it's extremely clear and conceptually tight as well as very succinct."--Geoff Eley, University of Michigan