The ' Better Angels of Capitalism

What does it mean to be a man of wealth and power? How is the worth of wealth translated into moral worth in the identity of wealthy men? How does this identity comprise a mythical place of masculine desire in the social imagination of the American dream? These are the central themes The Better Angels of Capitalism explores. Beginning with a series of ethnographic interviews of a variety of wealthy American men, Andrew Herman draws upon diverse perspectives to present a coherent exploration of the sociopolitical implications of being wealthy in an economically unequaland increasingly unstablesociety. }What does it mean to be a man of wealth and power? How is the worth of wealth translated into moral worth in the identity of wealthy men? How does this identity comprise a mythical place of masculine desire in the social imagination of the American dream? These are the central themes The Better Angels of Capitalism explores. Beginning with a series of ethnographic interviews of a variety of wealthy American men, Andrew Herman roots his discussion in the concerns of interpretive sociology of class and culture. However, he draws upon diverse perspectives within the humanities and social sciences, including history, political and social philosophy, feminist theory, rhetorical studies, cultural anthropology, and literary criticism, to present a coherent exploration of the sociopolitical implications of being wealthy in an economically unequaland increasingly unstablesociety. }