India and Capitalism
In this book review I am going to take a look at a very important book written by French sociologist Professor Jean Baechler, The Origins of Capitalism . What differentiates the Western civilization from the rest of the world is its capitalist spirit, which, sadly, started waning in the last part of the twentieth century. What makes the Western world materially richer and better than other parts of the world in the past two and a half centuries is its economic system of Capitalism. Jean Baechler discusses important questions like what is Capitalism? Where did it come from and when? What are its distinguishing features? Why was it essentially a western phenomenon and now a Western export? This book and its teachings are important for a country like India, which is still reeling in poverty in this twenty first century. If India, or any other country, wants to make economic progress then its people will have to take these teachings to their heart, understand the forces that are r...