Sign-In
Cart
The History of Debt: Monarchs, Markets, and Mankind
Paperback
Series: History
Business GeneralInvesting & Finance
Currently unavailable to order
Please enter your email and a message will be sent to you when this product becomes available on our website.
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Feb 27 2025
Pages: 200
Weight: 0.78
Height: 0.42 Width: 7.00 Depth: 10.00
Language: English
What if debt isn't just about money, but about power, rebellion, and the fate of empires? This book traces 5,000 years of financial warfare, from Mesopotamian temples where credit was invented long before coins existed to the Wall Street systems that shape your life today. It rewrites everything you think you know about owing and owning.
Starting with the surprising truth that credit came before barter, not the other way around, this large print edition follows debt through every era of human civilization. Hammurabi's Code capping interest at 20% while temple lenders found loopholes. Ancient kings erasing debts wholesale to prevent revolutions. Solon wiping the slate clean to save Athens from civil war. The Catholic Church excommunicating bankers for usury while Islamic finance built trade empires on zero-interest loans. Viking thralls entering slavery over unpaid grain debts. Renaissance bankers funding wars with double-entry bookkeeping. Colonial powers using forced resource debt to disguise slavery. The Bank of England born in 1694 specifically to fund war. And industrial-era company stores trapping miners in cycles of debt they could never escape. The same patterns repeat across millennia, and this book connects every one of them.
What's inside:
- The origins of debt: why barter is a myth, how credit systems predated coinage, and the Mesopotamian temples where lending was first formalized
- Debt as political weapon: ancient kings using mass forgiveness to prevent uprisings, Solon's revolt in Athens, and the pattern of debt crises triggering revolutions
- Religion and finance: the Catholic war on usury, Islamic zero-interest lending that built trade empires, and the tension between faith and banking that shaped medieval economies
- Colonial debt traps: how loans funded slavery and conquest, forced labor disguised as credit systems, and the post-slavery economies that kept workers trapped in company-store debt
- Modern echoes: how the Bank of England was born from war debt, how 19th-century empires collapsed from defaults, and why the same debt-trap patterns from ancient Egypt are still recognizable today
Reader review:
This book completely changed how I think about debt. The chapter on Hammurabi's debt laws was fascinating, and the one exposing colonial credit systems was infuriating. It connects dots across 5,000 years in a way that makes modern finance suddenly make a lot more sense. Large print made the denser historical sections much easier to get through. Prof. Elena R.
Debt built pyramids, funded crusades, and sparked revolutions. It also trapped entire populations in cycles of poverty that lasted generations. This book traces that full history honestly and shows why understanding how debt has always worked is the first step to seeing the system clearly. Large print edition for comfortable reading.
Order your copy today.
Also from
Skriuwer Com
Self Help Divorce Book for Women: A Woman's Guide to Rebuilding Life with Resilience
Skriuwer Com
Paperback
A Self Help Book for Christian Teen Girls: Building Faith and Confidence for Young Ladies
Skriuwer Com
Paperback
The Essential Oil Guide Book: Comprehensive Insights and Practical Applications
Skriuwer Com
Paperback
The History of Australia: Bush, Gold, and Cities (Skriuwer.com Edition)
Joseph, Jennifer
Skriuwer Com
Paperback
Interesting Bronze Age History Facts: Surprising Stories of the First Great Civilizations
Skriuwer Com
Paperback
Gut Health Book for Women: A Complete Guide to Women's Digestive and Mental Health
Skriuwer Com
Paperback
The Libra Book: Everything You Should Know About Libras: A Guide to Clarity and Growth
Skriuwer Com
Paperback
The Sagittarius Book: Everything You Should Know About Sagittariuses: A Guide to Clarity and Growth
Skriuwer Com
Paperback
Also in
Business General
Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Second Edition
Grenny, Joseph
Patterson, Kerry
Switzler, Al
Paperback
The Pig and I: The Tale of Our Relationship with a Beast We Eat
Endresen, Kristoffer Hattleland
Hardcover
Whale Done!: The Power of Positive Relationships
Blanchard, Kenneth
Lacinak, Thad
Tompkins, Chuck
Hardcover
Inspired: Understanding Creativity: A Journey Through Art, Science, and the Soul
Richtel, Matt
Hardcover
Quiet Girls Can Run the World: Owning Your Power When You're Not the "Alpha" in the Room
Holman, Rebecca
Paperback
Climb: Taking Every Step with Conviction, Courage, and Calculated Risk to Achieve a Thriving Career and a Successful Life
Brown, Carolyn M.
Gadsden-Williams, Michelle
Paperback
The Token: Common Sense Ideas for Increasing Diversity in Your Organization
Farmer, Crystal Byrd
Paperback
Paris Chic & Trendy: Designers' Studios, Hip Boutiques, Vintage Shops
Ribes-Tiphaine, Adrienne
Paperback
The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking about
Robbins, Mel
Robbins, Sawyer
Hardcover
The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI: How to Think about Artificial Intelligence--Before It's Too Late
Doctorow, Cory
Paperback
The Risk Worth Taking: A Story of Breaking Free and Trading for a Life You Love
Ijeoma, Teri
Hardcover
Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect
Guidara, Will
Hardcover
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Managing Yourself, Updated and Expanded (Featuring How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christensen)
Drucker, Peter F.
Gallo, Amy
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Mental Toughness, Updated and Expanded (Featuring How to Stop Worrying about What Other People Think of You by Michael Gervais)
Gervais, Michael
Duckworth, Angela L.
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
Surrender to Lead: The Counterintuitive Approach to Driving Extraordinary Results
Kriegel, Jessica
Terry, Joe
Hardcover
1873: The Rothschilds, the First Great Depression, and the Making of the Modern World
Ahamed, Liaquat
Hardcover
How to Be a Rich Old Lady: Your Guide to Easy Investing, Building Wealth, and Creating the Wild, Beautiful Life You Want
Holden, Amanda
Hardcover
Money Unlocked: How to Make It, Keep It and Multiply It: The New York Times Bestseller
Lee, John
Paperback
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High
McMillan, Ron
Patterson, Kerry
Grenny, Joseph
Paperback
The Goal: 40th Anniversary Edition: A Process of Ongoing Improvement
Cox, Jeff
Goldratt, Eliyahu M.
Paperback
The Freedom-Based Business Method: Reset, Systemize, and Realign Your Business to Live a Life of Harmony
Ellis, Natalie
Hardcover
The Courage to Commit: Embrace the Radical Power of Sticking with Something
Johnson, Shawn
East, Andrew
Hardcover
Who Moved My Cheese?: An A-Mazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life
Johnson, Spencer
Hardcover
Take Breaks, Work Better: Measure Impact, Not Hours, and Transform Your Profitability
Briggs, John
Paperback
The Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis, Deepmind, and the Quest for Superintelligence
Mallaby, Sebastian
Hardcover
The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living
Holiday, Ryan
Hanselman, Stephen
Hardcover
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Leadership, Updated and Expanded (Featuring Begin with Trust by Frances X. Frei and Anne Morriss)
Edmondson, Amy C.
Ibarra, Herminia
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
7-Figure Educator: Turn Your Experience as an Educator Into Income, Impact, and Freedom
Jordan-Thomas, Erica
Paperback
The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy
Stanley, Thomas J., PH. D.
Danko, William D., PH. D.
Paperback
The Overthinker's Guide to Making Decisions: How to Make Decisions Without Losing Your Mind
Nguyen, Joseph
Hardcover
What the Heck Is Eos?: A Complete Guide for Employees in Companies Running on EOS
Bouwer, Tom
Wickman, Gino
Hardcover
Dummies Guide to Starting Your Own Business: Essential Steps to Launching and Scaling a Successful Small Business Venture
Press, Essywrites
Paperback
The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More, and Change the Way You Lead Forever
Stanier, Michael Bungay
Paperback
Confidence (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Chamorro-Premuzic, Tomas
Review, Harvard Business
Kanter, Rosabeth Moss
Paperback
I Will Teach You to Be Rich: No Guilt. No Excuses. Just a 6-Week Program That Works (Second Edition)
Sethi, Ramit
Paperback
Building Great Businesses: Create Momentum, Overcome Setbacks, and Scale with Confidence
Becker, Scott
Hardcover
The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you
Fitzpatrick, Rob
Paperback
Get Scalable: The Operating System Your Business Needs To Run and Scale Without You
Deiss, Ryan
Paperback
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (Pmbok(r) Guide) -- Eighth Edition and the Standard for Project Management
Project Management Institute
Paperback
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It
Voss, Chris
Raz, Tahl
Hardcover
Influence and Persuasion (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Morgan, Nick
Cialdini, Robert B.
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
Hábitos Atómicos: Cambios Pequeños, Resultados Extraordinarios / Atomic Habits
Clear, James
Paperback
Mindful Listening (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Review, Harvard Business
Hougaard, Rasmus
Zenger, Jack
Paperback
Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience
Brown, Brené
Hardcover
Take It Personal: How to Succeed by Building Relationships and Playing the Long Game
Grutman, David
Hardcover
Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong--and What You Really Need to Know
Oster, Emily
Paperback
Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization
McKibben, Bill
Hardcover
Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving in
Ury, William
Patton, Bruce
Fisher, Roger
Paperback
A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health, and Connection
Epley, Nicholas
Hardcover
The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World
Stulberg, Brad
Hardcover
Power and Impact (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Cable, Dan
Bregman, Peter
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
Feedback That Works: How to Build and Deliver Your Message, Second Edition
Center for Creative Leadership
Paperback
Happiness (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Review, Harvard Business
McKee, Annie
Gilbert, Daniel
Paperback
Dirtbag Billionaire: How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away
Gelles, David
Hardcover
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on High Performance, Updated and Expanded (Featuring Nine Things Successful People Do Differently by Heidi Grant)
Grant, Heidi
Goleman, Daniel
Review, Harvard Business
Paperback
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Strategy, Updated and Expanded (Featuring the Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy by Michael E. Porter)
Review, Harvard Business
Porter, Michael E.
Kim, W. Chan
Paperback
Mindfulness (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)
Goleman, Daniel
Review, Harvard Business
Langer, Ellen
Paperback
The Wisdom and Wealth Solution: Unlocking the Secrets of Happiness, Purpose, and Financial Security with Living360
Ansari, Feroz
Hardcover
Beyond Belief: The Science-Backed Way to Stop Limiting Yourself and Achieve Breakthrough Results
Eyal, Nir
Hardcover
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Managing People, Updated and Expanded (Featuring Are You a Good Boss--Or a Great One? by Linda A. Hill and Kent Lineback)
Review, Harvard Business
Goleman, Daniel
Hill, Linda A.
Paperback
Bonfire of the Murdochs: How the Epic Fight to Control the Last Great Media Dynasty Broke a Family -- And the World
Sherman, Gabriel
Hardcover
The Phoenix Project: A Novel about It, Devops, and Helping Your Business Win
Spafford, George
Kim, Gene
Behr, Kevin
Paperback
The Millionaire Fastlane: Crack the Code to Wealth and Live Rich for a Lifetime!
DeMarco, M. J.
Paperback
A Giant Leap: How AI Is Transforming Healthcare and What That Means for Our Future
Wachter, Robert
Hardcover
The Obstacle Is the Way Expanded 10th Anniversary Edition: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials Into Triumph
Holiday, Ryan
Hardcover
Genius at Scale: How Great Leaders Drive Innovation
Wild, Jason
Hill, Linda A.
Tedards, Emily
Hardcover
Crucial Accountability: Proven Skills to Build Trust, Address Disappointment, and Get Results, Third Edition
Grenny, Joseph
Hale, Justin
Patterson, Kerry
Hardcover
Plastic Inc.: The Secret History and Shocking Future of Big Oil's Biggest Bet
Gardiner, Beth
Hardcover