Course Description
Summary
What is capitalism? When and where did it begin? This course introduces students to key features of capitalism as an economic system and a way of life that has had profound social and political consequences for human societies around the world. It is the primary aim of this course to get a better sense for what capitalism really is, and to uncover and evaluate some of the most compelling justifications and critiques regarding capitalism. We will examine questions such as: In what ways does capitalism free us and in what ways does it limit us? How does the market determine which commodities are valuable? A primary focus of the course will be examining overlaps between economy and culture by systematically considering the economic, political, and ethical project of capitalism. We will be attentive to the different ideological lenses through which capitalism is perceived and discussed as we examine phenomena such as wealth, labor, capital, commodities, and monopolies.
