Capitalism shows us how the movement of money in the world really works by outlining the world's dominant economic system, its origins, and its future.

Many of us think we have a basic understanding of capitalism – people work for money and exchange it for goods and services.

But do we really know how this economic system works, where it came from, and what its limitations are?

The Very Short Introductions book series from Oxford University Press provides concise yet authoritative overviews of complex topics written by experts in the field.

This installment by James Fulcher, a University of Leicester professor specializing in social history, looks at the history of capitalism from its origins through its evolution, as well as the challenges it has faced from periodic crises and competing systems.