A Brief History of the Credit Card
For now-ubiquitous consumer credit cards, bad early results had a hidden benefit.
The Social Responsibility of American Industrialists
In the 1890s, the first public relations professionals began advising the wealthy on how to use philanthropy to placate the public.
The Businesswomen of Early Twentieth Century America
Women's roles in the business world partly depended on their status as consumers in the early twentieth century.
When Corporations Co-opt Crafts
Procter & Gamble made its industrially produced soap the basis for a revival of an ancient craft, leading to a huge fad for soap carving.
Do Corporate Leaders Need to Pay Taxes?
Donald Trump’s claim that he had a fiduciary duty to minimize his taxes has sparked a conversation about business ethics. Are CEOs obligated to avoid taxes?
The Long History of Financial Advice for Women
There's a whole modern industry devoted to promoting women’s financial literacy.
How America Got its Time Zones
Boston is considering joining the Atlantic time zone. How did Americans decide on time zones anyway?
Could Immigration Save Middle America?
This election season has drawn enormous attention to the anxiety that many Americans in economically-distressed rural places seem ...
Class and the Glass Ceiling
Feminism and "women's work" have looked very different for U.S. women depending on their class.
