Accounting for History in Marx's Capital

Rob Bryer is professor emeritus of accounting at Warwick Business School, Warwick University.

• Chapter 1 The Missing LinkChapter 2 Marx’s Theory of HistoryChapter 3 An Accounting Critique of Marxist InterpretationsChapter 4 Ancient SlaveryChapter 5 Slavery in the Late Roman EmpireChapter 6 Transition to Feudalism in Western EuropeChapter 7 Capitalist Ideology and AccountingChapter 8 The Socialist Mode of ProductionChapter 9 The Tasks of Critical Accounting

I greatly enjoyed this book which covers the development of Marx’s theory over his lifetime; how the theory has been interpreted by subsequent authors and can be reconciled to historical knowledge unavailable to Marx during his life, or to events following his death; testing the viability of his theory against the extant accounting evidence; historical analysis ranging from the ancient Mesopotamians and Egyptians to the 1984-85 miners’ strike in Britain; and arguing in favor of a more coherent and proactive challenge to social injustice by critical accounting scholars mobilizing Marx’s theory of value. A fantastic read that will stimulate much debate.