How did the dynamic economic system we know as capitalism develop among the peasants and lords
of feudal Europe? In The Origin of Capitalism a now-classic work of history Ellen Meiksins
Wood offers readers a clear and accessible introduction to the theories and debates concerning
the birth of capitalism imperialism and the modern nation state. Capitalism is not a natural
and inevitable consequence of human nature nor simply an extension of age-old practices of
trade and commerce. Rather it is a late and localized product of very specific historical
conditions which required great transformations in social relations and in the relationship
between humans and nature.
