Description
Book SynopsisThis important interdisciplinary work suggests a number of economic as well as sociological reasons why modern capitalism is such a uniquely dynamic force.
Trade Review"This book offers illuminating analyses of the incentive mechanism that underlies the unprecedented growth performance of capitalism. It offers new insights into seminal contributions—like those of Weber and de Tocqueville–and contains much fascinating and valuable material that sociologists and economists will to well to absorb."
—William J. Baumol, New York University
"Nee and Swedberg have brought together an incredibly diverse and distinguished group of sociologists, economists, and political scientists to give Weber his due and show that his intellectual concerns are alive and well. Offering a terrifically wide range of topics—including religion and capitalism, law and the state in issues of development, and the role of social interaction in understanding corruption and the collective dynamics of market actors—many of these essays are gems." —Neil Fligstein, University of California, Berkeley
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On Capitalism offers a refreshingly diverse range of insights into economic growth through its Weberian focus on non-economic factors such as ideas, institutions, culture, and religion.You may not agree with every essay in the volume, but you will learn a great deal by engaging these original and often unconventional perspectives. I recommend the volume to anyone interested in the spirit of contemporary capitalism." —AnnaLee Saxenian, University of California, Berkeley
Table of Contents[Table of Contents] Contents List of Tables List of Figures Acknowledgments Contributors Introduction Victor Nee and Richard Swedberg Part I: The Dynamics and Contradictions of Capitalism 1. The Systemic Anticulture of Capitalism Russell Hardin 2. Tocqueville and the Spirit of American Capitalism Richard Swedberg 3. Income Inequality and the Protestant Ethic Robert H. Frank Part II: Politics, Legal-Rational Institutions, and Corruption 4. On Politicized Capitalism Victor Nee and Sonja Opper 5. Law, Economy, and Globalization: Max Weber and How International Financial Institutions Understand Law Bruce G. Carruthers and Terence C. Halliday 6. The Social Construction of Corruption Mark Granovetter Part III: Religion 7. The Role of Spiritual Capital in Economic Behavior Barnaby Marsh 8. Political Economy and Religion in the Spirit of Max Weber Robert J. Barro and Rachel M. McCleary 9. Beyond Weber Michael Novak Part IV: Methodological and Conceptual Issues 10. The Collective Dynamics of Belief Duncan J. Watts 11. Analytical Individualism and the Explanation of Macrosocial Change Ronald Jepperson and John W. Meyer 12. Bootstrapping Development: Rethinking the Role of Public Intervention in Promoting Growth Charles F. Sabel Index
