I always see entropy used here and there in decriptions/critiques of capitalism, so I was wondering if there are papers or books that dive deeper on the topic. Thanks!
I always see entropy used here and there in decriptions/critiques of capitalism, so I was wondering if there are papers or books that dive deeper on the topic. Thanks!
It's not exactly what you're asking for but since others already gave you that, you should also check out Fossil Capital by Andreas Malm which deals with the rise of steam power and develops a theory of both the social forces behind the adoption of the fossil economy, but also a technical scientific perspective. It doesn't necessarily use thermodynamics to model social forces, but it is in the intersection of thermodynamics and Marxism.
Thank you! It's been on my reading list for a while so this is a good reminder to check it out. I've also recently learned that the concept of entropy was developed during the industrial revolution to make engines more efficient, so definitely a relevant book.
Oh yeah the book talks extensively about James Watt, his colleagues, the bourgeois perspectives on efficiency, how the scientific and cultural understanding of mechanical devices (and to a lesser extent, the natural processes that served as their foundation) was shaped by industrial development, all the juicy stuff.