Compassionate Capitalism makes a major contribution to the field of economic history by providing a long-run perspective on the history of capitalism, social responsibility and philanthropy.

It may seem like a recent trend, but the businesses have been practicing ‘compassionate capitalism’ for nearly a thousand years. Based on the recently discovered historical documents on Cambridge’s sophisticated urban property market during the Commercial Revolution, this book explores how successful entrepreneurs employed the wealth they had accumulated to the benefit of the community. Cutting across disciplines, from economic and business history to entrepreneurship, philanthropy and medieval studies, this outstanding study presents an invaluable contribution to our knowledge of the early phases of capitalism.