Description
Book SynopsisFocusing on the state of New York, home to the first American banks, utilities, canals, and transportation infrastructure projects, Building the Empire State examines the origins of American capitalism by tracing how and why business corporations were first introduced into the economy of the early republic.
Trade Review"In
Building the Empire State, Brian Murphy deftly revisits the founding of New York State, in the process revising our understanding of how the political economy of the early republic operated in practice. Rather than a strict separation between the public obligations of the state and the private interests of for-profit corporations, Murphy finds a much more integrated, reciprocal relationship that organically emerged from the experiences of the late colonial and Revolutionary periods. His fresh approach and sophisticated argument make a significant contribution to several fields, including political history, business history, and the history of capitalism more broadly." * Sharon Murphy, Providence College *
Table of ContentsNote on Banking Terms
Introduction. Strength in Structure
Chapter 1. "The Most Dangerous and Effectual Engine of Power"
Chapter 2. "An Enlarged American Scale"
Chapter 3. "A Very Convenient Instrument"
Chapter 4. "To Occupy All Points"
Chapter 5. "If We Must Have War or a Canal, I Am in Favor of the Canal"
Conclusion. Corporate Political Economy
Notes
Index
Acknowledgments
