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Attention, Shoppers! American Retail Capitalism and the Origins of the Amazon Economy

Kathleen Thelen

Culture, humanities & social science

Attention, Shoppers! American Retail Capitalism and the Origins of the Amazon Economy

By Kathleen Thelen, the Ford Professor of Political Science

Princeton University Press · 2025

This book traces the evolution of U.S. retailing from the late 19th century to today, uncovering the roots of a bitter equilibrium where large low-cost retailers dominate and vast numbers of low-income families now rely on them to make ends meet. Thelen reveals how large discount retailers have successfully exploited a uniquely permissive regulatory landscape to create a shopper's paradise built on cheap labor.

From Summer 2025 recommended reading from MIT (MIT News). Cover image via Google Books.