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David McNally
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Blood and Money: War, Slavery, Finance, and Empire Kindle Edition

by David McNally (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars 56 ratings

The history of money and its violent and oppressive origins from slavery to war—by the author of Global Slump.

In most accounts of the origins of money we are offered pleasant tales in which it arises to the mutual benefit of all parties as a result of barter. But in this groundbreaking study, David McNally reveals the true story of money’s origins and development as one of violence and human bondage. Money’s emergence and its transformation are shown to be intimately connected to the buying and selling of slaves and the waging of war. Blood and Money demonstrates the ways that money has “internalized” its violent origins, making clear that it has become a concentrated force of social power and domination. Where Adam Smith observed that monetary wealth represents “command over labor,” this paradigm shifting book amends his view to define money as comprising the command over persons and their bodies.

“This fascinating and informative study, rich in novel insights, treats money not as an abstraction from its social base but as deeply embedded in its essential functions and origins in brutal violence and harsh oppression.” —Noam Chomsky

“A fine-grained historical analysis of the interconnection between war, enslavement, finance, and money from classical times to present.” —Jeff Noonan, author of The Troubles of Democracy

“McNally casts an unsparing light on the origins of money—and capitalism itself—in this scathing, Marxist-informed account . . . . McNally builds a powerful, richly documented argument that unchecked capitalism prioritizes greed and violence over compassion . . . . [T]his searing academic treatise makes a convincing case.” —Publishers Weekly

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  1. Print length
    323 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Haymarket Books
  4. Publication date
    May 5, 2020
  5. File size
    3.6 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“McNally casts an unsparing light on the origins of money―and capitalism itself―in this scathing, Marxist-informed account…. McNally builds a powerful, richly documented argument that unchecked capitalism prioritizes greed and violence over compassion….[T]his searing academic treatise makes a convincing case.” -- Publishers Weekly

About the Author

David McNally, formerly Professor of Political Science at York University, is the Cullen Distinguished Professor of History and Business at the University of Houston (UH) and Director of the Center for the Study of Capitalism. He is the author of Global Slump, Monsters of the Market, as well as six other books.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0851TV2HS
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Haymarket Books (May 5, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 5, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.6 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 323 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 56 ratings

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David McNally

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4.6 out of 5 stars
56 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Elaine
    4.0 out of 5 stars Human worth in dollars and sense
    Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    We think of civilization as progress from millions of years of dynamic emergence. But with the end of the last Ice Age and Neolithic Revolution, we entered the emergence of humans as commodity, valued only for their commercial worth to an ever evolving greedy elite.
    If this is progress, we may need to reconsider the co$t
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Michael Hawks
    1.0 out of 5 stars Written by a Socialist
    Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2021
    He is a known socialist, so I would expect his book to be anti-capitalism. More propaganda.
    11 people found this helpful
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  • STK
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent history of money
    Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    First-rate historical analysis of money's material connections to war, empire & slavery. Focuses on what the author calls the 3 main "modular forms" of money in Western civilization: coins (ancient Greece), Bank of England notes (17th century England), post gold-standard dollar (20th century US).
    13 people found this helpful
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  • Renan Ferreira de Araujo
    1.0 out of 5 stars Entrega mal feita
    Reviewed in Brazil on August 4, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    O livro é ótimo e tem preço acessível perto de outras obras em inglês.
    Mas a Amazon fugiu do padrão de entrega, ele veio sem plástico, amassou as folhas nos cantos e com a capa levemente suja da embalagem, uma pena, já paguei bem menos em livros aqui e não vieram desta forma.
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    Renan Ferreira de Araujo
    1.0 out of 5 stars
    Entrega mal feita

    Reviewed in Brazil on August 4, 2021
    O livro é ótimo e tem preço acessível perto de outras obras em inglês.
    Mas a Amazon fugiu do padrão de entrega, ele veio sem plástico, amassou as folhas nos cantos e com a capa levemente suja da embalagem, uma pena, já paguei bem menos em livros aqui e não vieram desta forma.
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