The Relentless Revolution Joyce Appleby Analysis

The Relentless Revolution by Joyce Appleby is the narrative of capitalism that starts with the voyagers of the 16th century, winds through the 18th and 19th centuries, and continues on through the 1970’s then past that into modern capitalism. Within this long historical narrative, the author’s main argument is to tell the story of capitalism, and how it developed from an idea to an international system. Appleby described the book by saying “This is not a general study of capitalism in the world, but rather a narrative that follows the shaping of the economic system that we live with today” (Appleby 4). Her argument is that the story of capitalism is not a step by step process as some have claimed, rather it is a constant, messy passage from one discovery to the next. As Appleby demonstrated, one development in one part of the world lead to development in other parts. For example, when Appleby began to discuss the 19th century, she took a unique approach by not focusing on the success of the British “… but rather tell how Germany and the United States were able to pass Britain and take a commanding lead among world economies” (Appleby 164). However, without the British developing technically the

Extensive research was taken to write this novel, and was revealed in the offbeat telling of historical events. Instead of focusing on how capitalism developed in specific countries, Appleby told the story of how it developed over time and globally. She describes the positives and the negatives with equal tact, and makes it interesting for those who usually are not interested in these types of novels. While it may be difficult to understand the connection in some sections, the unique angle is enough to capture almost anyone’s attention. Altogether, the book clearly explains why capitalism is “A relentless revolution, yes, but not a mindless one” (Appleby