Absentee Ownership and Business Enterprise in Recent Times

By Thorstein Veblen

"Absentee Ownership and Business Enterprise in Recent Times" is a seminal work by the influential American economist and sociologist Thorstein Veblen. In this profound analysis, Veblen explores the shift in the capitalist landscape, focusing on the disconnect between the technical management of industry and the financial interests of remote owners. He delves into the evolution of the modern business enterprise, critiquing the mechanisms of absentee ownership and its implications for industrial efficiency and social welfare.

Veblen examines the tensions between the mechanical process of production and the business enterprise driven by profit motives, providing a critical perspective on the maturation of the corporate state in the early 20th century. This work is essential for understanding the foundations of institutional economics and the socio-economic transformations that shaped contemporary Western society. Through his characteristically sharp wit and rigorous intellectual inquiry, Veblen offers a timeless critique of the financialization of the economy and the impact of vested interests on the productive capacity of the community. "Absentee Ownership and Business Enterprise in Recent Times" remains a foundational text for students of economic history, political science, and sociology.

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1025258851
• ISBN13: 9781025258850
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Tradd Street Press
• Length: 464 Pages
• Weight: 1.42 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 9.2"