In Our Time Money
Mar 1, 2001
Melvyn Bragg and guests delve into the power of money throughout history, from biblical references to modern economic theories. They explore the influence of money on historical events, critique economic determinism, and analyze the collapse of the Weimar Republic. The discussion covers Marx's economic determinism, political decisions' economic consequences, and the intricate relationships between economics and global power dynamics.
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Religious Morality Shaped Critiques Of Money
- The Bible's moral critique of money shaped European critiques of capitalism for centuries.
- Niall Ferguson notes Marx and others drew on Judeo-Christian moral language to portray money as a root of social ills.
How Marx Turned Hegel Into Economic History
- Marx fused Hegel's dialectical method with Ricardo's political economy to make class struggle the engine of history.
- Ferguson explains Marx mapped Ricardian income categories (rent, profit, wages) to Hegelian thesis/antithesis/synthesis.
Engels' Parallelogram Tempered Economic Determinism
- Engels later clarified Marx saw the economy as ultimately determining, not mechanically causing every event.
- Richard J. Evans highlights Engels' 'parallelogram of forces' where multiple wills interact, with economics deep in the background.