Lecture Jake Soll: Richard Price’s Prudence and Modern Capitalism (1758-1790)
Utrecht University Centre for Early Modern Studies
On Thursday 15 May, the Annual Lecture of the Utrecht University Centre for Early Modern Studies (UUCEMS) will be given by Jake Soll (University of Southern California). In ‘Richard Price’s Prudence and the Unintentional Invention of Modern Capitalist Values (1758-1790)’, Soll will explore the role of philosopher Richard Price (1723-1791) in shaping financial capitalism.
Richard Price and financial capitalism
Historians have typically traced the tradition of Machiavellian Classical Republicanism as a political and moral movement opposed to commercial values. While recent research has shown pro-commercial strains of republicanism, such as in the Dutch Republic, Soll will show a more complex relationship between republican ideas of liberty and capitalist traditions.
Richard Price tried to use capitalism to create an innovative form of prudence to mitigate the dangers of finance and complex trade. Paradoxically, by trying to balance greed and finance with accounting and probabilistic prudence, Richard Price helped build essential elements that would support the rise of financial capitalism.
This talk is organised by the UUCEMS in collaboration with the Descartes Centre.
- Start date and time
- End date and time
- Location
- Johanna Hudig building, Alex Brenninkmeijerzaal
- Registration
Registration for attendance not needed. For online attendance via MS Teams please go to this eventlink.
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