Books by Alan (Cambridge University) Macfarlane

Concerned with the origins of capitalism and the conditions that accompanied its birth, this work argues that capitalism is more than an economic system: it is a culture that affects not just the material but also the social, familial and even spiritual bases of existence.

This book has been awarded the American Sociological Association, Family Section, William J. Goode Award for 1987.

Path-breaking, comparative study by a brilliant, world-renowned scholar. Examines key themes in history of industrial civilization. Compares and contrasts experiences of England and Japan over time. Draws on wide range of contemporary sources - traveller's accounts, diaries and medical texts.

The Origins of English Individualism is about the nature of English society during the five centuries leading up to the Industrial Revolution, and the crucial differences between England and other European nations.