Boston College Experience: Government, Globalism, Capitalism – A History

This two-week course involves a comprehensive survey of the connection between politics, economics, and internationalism. The course takes an in-depth look at the beginnings of capitalism in the Sixteenth century; at how capitalism affected, and was affected by, the growth of the nation state; and at how capitalism became the dominant economic, social, and, in some cases, the religious belief system for many countries, particularly those in the West.

In particular, the course takes an in-depth look at the beginnings of capitalism in the sixteenth century; at how capitalism affected, and was affected by, the growth of the nation state; and at how capitalism became the dominant economic, social, and, in some cases, the religious belief system for many countries, particularly those in the West. We will also look at how the concept of capitalism has fared against global challenges from newer political/economic/religious ideologies such as Socialism, Marxism, Communism, Fascism, and international terrorism.

And, finally, we hope to identify just how the theory and practice of global capitalism has proven to be so resilient, despite its evident flaws, to the extent that it remains one of the major forms of economic, cultural, social, and political systems practiced by many countries in the world today. Throughout this course, issues of race, gender, class, nationality, religion, and age will be to the fore, as we strive to discover how the world came to be as it is today.

Session 2: 7/7–7/19