Contents

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. Author’s Note on Conventions ix
4. Introduction 1
5. I. Alchemy and Credit
6. 1. Th e Scarcity of Money Problem and the Birth of English Political Economy 17
7. 2. The Alchemical Foundations of Credit 44
8. II. Death Penalty and Credit
9. 3. The Epistemology of Credit 83
10. 4. Capital Punishment in Defense of Credit 123
11. III. Slavery and Credit
12. 5. Public Credit and the Public Sphere 161
13. 6. The South Sea Company and the Restoration of Public Credit 197
14. Epilogue 235
15. Notes 249
16. Acknowledgments 337
17. Index 341