Building Capitalism (Routledge Revivals)

<p>First published in 1992 this Routledge Revival sees the reissue of a truly original exploration of the nature of urbanization and capitalism. </p><p>Linda Clarke’s vital work argues that:</p><ul> <p> </p> <li>Urbanization is a product of the social human labour engaged in building as well as a concentration of the labour force.</li> <p> </p> <li>The quality of the labour process determines the development of production. </li> <p> </p> <li>Changes to the built environment reflect changes in the production process and in particular the development of wage labour.</li> </ul><p>To support these arguments the author identifies a qualitatively new historical stage of capitalist building production involving a significant expansion of wage labour and hence capital and the transition from artisan to industrial production. </p><p>Linda Clarke draws from a wide range of original material relating to the development of London from the mid-eighteenth to the early nineteenth century to provide a complete description of the development process: materials extraction roadbuilding housebuilding paving cleansing etc; profiles of builders and contractors involved and a picture of the new working class communities as in Somers Town – their living conditions population working environment and politics. </p>