Review of "Rechtstrieb" by Kenneth F. Ledford in AMERICAN HISTORICAL REVIEW (original) (raw)

The review discusses Mischa Suter's "Rechtstrieb: Schulden und Vollstreckung im liberalen Kapitalismus, 1800-1900," which explores the judicial enforcement of debt within the context of liberal capitalism in 19th century Switzerland. Suter argues that the execution of debts illuminates the complexities and contradictions within market relationships, emphasizing the embeddedness of economic exchanges in social ties. The work contributes to a broader historical understanding of capitalism by examining how debts and their enforcement reflect social structures and temporal dynamics.