The World in Chains Some Aspects of War and Trade

The World in Chains: Some Aspects of War and Trade by John Mavrogordato is a sharp, timely probe into how commerce and conflict fed each other during the First World War. Written and first published in 1917, Mavrogordato blends economic analysis, moral philosophy, and polemic to argue that noble wartime ideals were too often harnessed by imperialism and capitalist interests. Across essays on armaments, trade during wartime, diplomacy, patriotism, and even eugenics, he traces how markets, national ambition, and the machinery of war created perverse incentives and uneven gains—profiting the few while nations and peoples paid the price. The book situates these debates in their historical moment yet raises questions about the ethics of trade, the limits of democracy, and the corrosive effects of profit-driven conflict that still resonate today. A work of political economy and wartime critique, this audiobook will appeal to students of economic history, readers of war-era nonfiction, and anyone curious about the interplay between markets and militarism. Listen to understand a provocative contemporary voice from 1917 that speaks powerfully to modern debates about war, trade, and moral responsibility.