

S7 E3: Ships, Swords, and Fences
61 snips Jul 3, 2024
Guest
Eleanor Janega
Guest
Silvia Federici
Guest
Charisse Burden-Stelly
Guest
Jessica Moody
Guest
Jason Hickel
Guest
Jayati Ghosh
Economic experts and historians discuss the origins of capitalism, from colonial conquest to the privatization of land in Europe. Topics include the Atlantic Slave Trade, racial capitalism, and peasant uprisings against forced land separation.
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Columbus Monument in Barcelona
- John Biewen calls Ellen McGirt from Barcelona, describing the Christopher Columbus monument.
- He notes the monument's grand scale, built in 1888 to commemorate Columbus's voyages.
Spain's Declining Empire
- Spain erected the Columbus monument while still a colonial power, though its empire was declining.
- This act may have been a statement of defiance during a time of weakening dominance.
Transition to Capitalism
- The transition from feudalism to capitalism wasn't a smooth shift from bondage to freedom.
- Europeans fought hard over the post-medieval world's structure, with power imbalances shaping the outcome.