Description
Virtue Capitalists offers a comprehensive historical analysis of the professional class in the Anglophone world, spanning from 1870 to 2008. Hannah Forsyth argues that professionals—including doctors, lawyers, engineers, and academics—played a crucial role in developing and legitimizing modern capitalism through their claims to expertise, ethical standards, and public service.
The book traces how this professional class rose to prominence during the industrial revolution and maintained significant social and economic influence throughout much of the twentieth century. Forsyth examines the ideological foundations that allowed professionals to position themselves as trustees of public welfare while accumulating considerable wealth and status.
However, the narrative shifts in the late twentieth century as neoliberalism, corporatization, and the decline of professional autonomy undermined the legitimacy and power of the professional class. Through meticulous historical research, Forsyth reveals how economic pressures, technological change, and shifting cultural values transformed the relationship between professionals, capitalism, and society, ultimately reshaping the modern professional landscape.
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