"Stories about American history, its origins and unfolding, do not, conventionally, feature capitalism. Other tales … about the country's history usually take priority. If capitalism figures in at all, it is to forefront opportunity …

role and significance of the rich and the super-rich in the long run of history. With a focus on the West, particularly … Europe and North America, Alfani's research spans a thousand years of history. He draws from a wealth of comparative data, as … well as insights gleaned from the latest research in economic history, sociology, and anthropology, to show how society …