The Passions and the Interests

By Albert O. Hirschman,

Book cover of The Passions and the Interests: Political Arguments for Capitalism Before Its Triumph

Book description

In this volume, Albert Hirschman reconstructs the intellectual climate of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to illuminate the intricate ideological transformation that occurred, wherein the pursuit of material interests--so long condemned as the deadly sin of avarice--was assigned the role of containing the unruly and destructive passions of man. Hirschman…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

1 author picked The Passions and the Interests as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

The book is, like the others I have recommended, decidedly distinctive and untraditional. It traces the convoluted history of capitalist thought prior to its advent (which is itself the subject of ceaseless debate). Reducing forces to “passion” and “order” made me look at a complicated subject in a new way.

Want books like The Passions and the Interests?

Our community of 10,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The Passions and the Interests.

Browse books like The Passions and the Interests

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in capitalism, economic history, and Adam Smith?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about capitalism, economic history, and Adam Smith.

Capitalism Explore 175 books about capitalism
Economic History Explore 47 books about economic history
Adam Smith Explore 25 books about Adam Smith