Bankruptcy and Debt Collection in Liberal Capitalism: Switzerland, 1800-1900

This book explores the quotidian routines of debt collection in nineteenth-century capitalism, focusing on Switzerland, an exemplary case of liberal rule. It argues that analyzing these forms of summary justice opens a window to the makeshift economies and contested political imaginaries of everyday life.

Format: Hardback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 02 June 2021
Publisher: The University of Michigan Press

Drawing on perspectives from anthropology and social theory, this comprehensive book delves into the intricate daily practices of debt collection in nineteenth-century capitalism, with a specific focus on Switzerland, an exemplary case of liberal rule. Until they were standardized in a Swiss federal law in 1889, debt collection and bankruptcy relied on established customs and practices. The Swiss legal term "Rechtstrieb," which translates to "law drive," succinctly captures the wide range of these practices. By examining these forms of summary justice, the book offers a unique window into the makeshift economies and the contested political imaginaries of nineteenth-century everyday life. Ultimately, the book presents an empirically grounded and theoretically informed history of quotidian legal practices in the everyday economy, making a compelling argument for studying capitalism from the bottom up.

Drawing on perspectives from anthropology and social theory, this comprehensive book delves into the intricate daily practices of debt collection in nineteenth-century capitalism, with a specific focus on Switzerland, an exemplary case of liberal rule. Until they were standardized in a Swiss federal law in 1889, debt collection and bankruptcy relied on established customs and practices. The Swiss legal term "Rechtstrieb," which translates to "law drive," succinctly captures the wide range of these practices. By examining these forms of summary justice, the book offers a unique window into the makeshift economies and the contested political imaginaries of nineteenth-century everyday life. Ultimately, the book presents an empirically grounded and theoretically informed history of quotidian legal practices in the everyday economy, making a compelling argument for studying capitalism from the bottom up.

Weight: 680g
Dimension: 157 x 237 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780472132522