History of Capitalism Minor
College of Arts and Sciences
Program Description
Capitalism has delivered unrivaled prosperity, but with many social costs. Understanding capitalism's past is essential to understanding our world today—as well as tomorrow. How has it been defined? How has it developed at different times and in different parts of the world? Students undertaking the minor will be exposed to many different perspectives on capitalism, enabling them to critically reflect on economic institutions and ideas, as well as understand how our global economy has come to be.
The minor is designed to provide students with the basic vocabulary of economics and business, but to deepen it with a longer, critical perspective on the development of capitalism. "Capitalism" has had many different meanings over time and students in the minor will also learn how its meanings have changed across time and how they continue to differ across place.
This minor is offered collaboratively with courses from across the university, but is coordinated by the Department of History staff, and Edward Baptist (A&S), and Lawrence Glickman (A&S). For more information on the minor and a list of approved courses, please see the department website at: history.cornell.edu.