The American Bourgeoisie Distinction and Identity in the Nineteenth Century

What precisely constitutes an American bourgeoisie? Scholars have grappled with the question for a long time. Economic positionsthe ownership of capital, for instancemost obviously defines this group. Control of resources cannot explain, however, the emergence of shared identities or the capacity for collective action: after all, economic interests frequently drove capital-rich Americans apart as they competed for markets or governmental favors. This book argues that one of the most important factors in this respect was the articulation of a shared culture, but this aspect has been neglected by most scholarship on the issue. This volume engages a fundamental disciplinary question about this period in American history: how did the bourgeoisie consolidate their power and fashion themselves not simply as economic leaders but as cultural innovators and arbiters? How did culture help them formulate a sense of themselves as a distinct social group with shared identities, while simultaneously setting themselves apart from other Americans?

Sven Beckert is Professor of History at Harvard. Julia Rosenbaum is Assistant Professor of Art History at Bard College.