Was America born capitalist? A counter view

Thomas N. Tyson, David Oldroyd and Richard K. Fleischman

CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, 2013, vol. 24, issue 4, 379-396

Abstract: This paper is a response to Part 1 of Rob Bryer's analysis of American business consciousness in the period prior to the mid-1800s. It argues that RB's historical model for tracking the transition to capitalism in the US based on accounting signatures is too simplistic, and that the evidence he presents is ambiguous, relying as it does on the interpretation of secondary sources. The paper questions RB's unique definition of capitalism as well as his conception of a clear point of divide between the capitalist and pre-capitalist worlds, and argues that the capitalist mentality or spirit existed in America long before the early 20th century based on current evidence.

Keywords: Critical; Public Interest; Capitalism; History; Critique; Intérêt public; 批判性; 公共利益; Crítica; Interés Público (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:crpeac:v:24:y:2013:i:4:p:379-396

DOI: 10.1016/j.cpa.2013.01.001

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