Empire of Cotton

Sven Beckert's audiobook explores the transformative history of the cotton industry, highlighting how European entrepreneurs and statesmen revolutionized manufacturing through imperial expansion, land expropriation, and slave labor. Tracing its development from before the rise of machine production, the story reveals how the global cotton empire reshaped worlds of trade, conflict, and labor, laying the groundwork for modern capitalism. Through this compelling narrative, Beckert connects historical forces to contemporary issues of wealth and inequality, offering illuminating insights into the origins of today's global economy.