Talk:Capitalism in the nineteenth century
what happened w/ Capitalism in the 16th and 19th centuries.
What to do with this article[edit]
I think this has potential as an article. 'Capitalism' is a fairly complex concept and I think its good to deal with it in historical contexts like this. However, there is a lot missing:
- There is little mention of countries other than the US, the UK, and small mention of France. Considering that the UKs financial power at the time stemmed from its vast overseas empire, I imagine we might be able to link in how colonies helped Britains economic dominance.
- The article seems to be written from a bankers point of view. 19th century capitalism was a brutal system. The old "dark satanic mills" where young children were made to work in extremely dangerous conditions. Terrible urban polution and no health benefits for the poor led most of the population to an early death. This side of 19th century capitalism ought to be addressed.
- The article makes only passing mention of the industrial revolution. Technological advances, and mass migration of workers to cities, are what put the capital in 19th century capitalism. The industrial revolution (from an economic point of view) should have its own section, perhaps the first one
- Adam Smith is, I think, a fairly important figure for this article. His concept of the division of labour provided the method by which industrial capital was generated in the 19th century.
Any comment on this is welcome. Damburger 09:57, 18 August 2007 (UTC)