content: I've read several of Robert Heilbroner's books and this one had some real pearls of wisdom. It starts slow going all the way back to the 1400's but he gets into some great economic theory towards the late 1800's. His perspective of the "robber barons" was interesting. The last chapter is a gem in his analysis of why capitalism works but not too well in the US. In summary, this book (written a long time ago in the early 60's) is a great compliment to a Thomas Sowell.