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The article discusses the role of the history of capitalism in the context of economic history. Topics include the history of social and economic history during the 20th century, the relation between economics and history as disciplines, and the impact of the 2008 global financial crisis on the study of capitalism. The relation of economic history to globalization is noted.

The article discusses the concept of risk, with particular focus given to its history in the U.S. and its relationship to capitalism. The cultural transition from communal assumption of risks to the idea of risk as something to be borne by the individual is commented on, and the interconnectedness of risk and capitalism are examined. The evolution of the concept of risk management through means such as insurance, savings, and futures markets is explored, and the influence of the idea of personal risk on concepts of selfhood is touched on.

The essay discusses the centrality of risk and risk management in capitalism and its role in the history of capitalism in the U.S. in the 19th century, adapted from the book "Freaks of Fortune: The Emerging World of Capitalism and Risk in America," by Jonathan Levy.