A bold new interpretation of modern history as a struggle between three economic groupsWe are now living in an age of merchants; but it was not always so. The history of civilization; in large part; is a story of a battle between agrarian aristocracy; the military; and a class of learned experts; or priests. Yet in seventeenth-century England and in the Netherlands; another group entered the mêlée for power: the merchants. For the last four decades; the merchant's power has been unfettered. In Merchant; Soldier; Sage; acclaimed Oxford scholar David Priestland proposes a radical new approach to understanding today’s balance of power; and analyzes the societal and economic historical conditions required for one of these three value systems to dominate. Priestland asserts that; in the wake of the Great Recession; the weakened and discredited merchant still clings to power—but the world is again in the midst of a period of upheaval.
#174823 in Books Tanner Colby 2013-07-30 2013-07-30Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.45 x .65 x 5.50l; .57 #File Name: 0143123637320 pagesSome of My Best Friends Are Black The Strange Story of Integration in America
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Painful; but necessary read.By T. BarhamI grew up in a relatively poor and very diverse community and our school was eventually bussed to a more affluent (and much whiter) neighborhood. I always assumed that we all did well because this change provided some uplift for me and many of my friends to move into a safer; more stable school community. As some of the families in Vestavia Hills experienced; the initial trepidation to our coming dissolved once we arrived.Nonetheless I wonder how much of my ease in fitting into this new environment came from being white. I never question how my friends of color who also fit in might have had to give up a sense of authentic identity. Whether they made tradeoffs of not the fact that I never thought to ask says a lot about my privilege as a white person and social mobility in America. Now the mother of a bi-racial child in a city that struggles mightily with its undercover history of racism; this is a book I feel all of us should read and consider as an attempt to better come to grips with the meaning of white privilege.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. I liked this book a whole lot (which I had been ...By Rev. Jean C ThompsonI liked this book a whole lot (which I had been skeptical about from the title at the start). What I liked best were the numerous anecdotes that gave context and perspective to the point he was trying to get across.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Four StarsBy LEE E ANDRADEIt was a good book
