Fossil Capital

This book explores the historical roots of our reliance on fossil fuels, tracing their rise back to 19th-century Britain and the advent of steam power. Challenging conventional views, Andreas Malm argues that steam engines were adopted not for efficiency but for their ability to better control labor, fueling capitalist expansion. Spanning from Manchester to modern China, the narrative examines how fossil fuels became central to the economy and highlights the transformative changes needed to address climate change.