Law & History of Economic Institutions of Capitalism

4 credits · Undergraduate

This course is an intro to historical and institutional underpinnings of capitalism by examining the development of key markets and economic organizations from early modern Europe to modern global economy. Topics include efficiency and legitimacy of private ordering systems; the role of trust, culture, and social norms in supporting exchange and coordination; evolution of commercial law; property rights regimes and the rule of law; the rise of banking and capital markets; legal organization of business enterprises; mechanisms for enforcing sovereign debt; and the emergence of global governance and financial architecture.