The word ‘capitalism’ is heard and used frequently, but what is capitalism about, and what does it mean? *Capitalism: A Very Short Introduction* discusses the history and development of capitalism through several detailed case studies, ranging from the ‘tulipomania’ of 17th-century Holland, the Great Depression of the 1930s, and the impact of the global financial crisis that started in 2007–8. It looks at the different forms that capitalism takes in Britain, Japan, Sweden, and the United States, and explores whether capitalism has escaped the nation-state by going global. It asks whether there is an alternative to capitalism, discussing socialism, communal and cooperative experiments, and the alternatives proposed by environmentalists. (Source: [Oxford University Press](https://academic.oup.com/book/672))