Reader Responses to Capitalism on the Couch

As a chemistry student and bachelor of science candidate at Brown I took a year’s class on social and intellectual history of the United States. After a career as a practicing systems engineer, I can say that the experience helped me greatly in the ways I think about the people I developed products for. You develop a different understanding of things from a history than from a ‘rule book’ approach to study. When you see the elements come into place one by one, you learn what the motivating factors were and how they sometimes get addressed and sometimes create unwanted side effects.

The course sounds interesting. I suggest to the professor that assigning students to do a study of successful private companies formed within the last 20-year window and getting an idea of the motivations and tactics of owners might elaborate the themes of the study with reality.

Thank you for your article on Professor Rockman’s course, “History of Capitalism,” and the deeper analysis of the origins of the economic thinking we often take for granted. It reminded me of one of the aspects of my experience as a Brown undergrad that I valued most; the ability to explore topics not always covered in the regular curriculum. For example, in an independent study with fellow students on socially responsible business, I first learned about cooperative enterprise as a democratic economic alternative rooted in community self-help. This led to a career in the Fair Trade and cooperative movements, teaching courses on co-ops, and my current role as executive director for a regional association of food co-ops and chair of the board of directors of the National Cooperative Business Association. While receiving limited attention in universities and business schools, the cooperative movement emerged alongside capitalism as an alternative to both state- and investor-owned enterprise and today plays a surprisingly important role in the global economy. About 1 billion people around the world, including 1 in 3 Americans, are members of a co-op or credit union, more than directly own stock in publicly-traded corporations. And as we work to address issues of global challenges of climate change, food security, and economic inequality, the United Nations has recognized cooperative enterprise for its key role in advancing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Very interesting article. Could never have been taught at Brown in the sixties. We would have just said “huh?”  I went on from Brown and spent my life as a serial entrepreneur. Enjoyed the heck out of all the stuff I did. This article has opened my thinking somewhat. Looking back on all the folks I worked with over the years in various businesses I can’t help thinking about the diversity of people I worked with and what made them tick? The fact that a course like this can be taught at Brown over 50 years later and is popular tells me that “the times they are a changing.” Glad to see how we are evolving as a society and the popularity of this course shows me that we are changing. Not sure where we are headed but happy to see change. Can’t wait to see where young people today take us.  

As a chemistry student and bachelor of science candidate at Brown I took a year’s class on social and intellectual history of the United States. After a career as a practicing systems engineer, I can say that the experience helped me greatly in the ways I think about the people I developed products for. You develop a different understanding of things from a history than from a ‘rule book’ approach to study. When you see the elements come into place one by one, you learn what the motivating factors were and how they sometimes get addressed and sometimes create unwanted side effects.

The course sounds interesting (“Capitalism on the Couch,” Courses of Study, January-March ’21). I suggest to the professor that assigning students to do a study of successful private companies formed within the last 20 years and getting an idea of the motivations and tactics of owners might elaborate the themes of the study with reality.