The London Hanged

Linebaugh’s groundbreaking history has become an inescapable part of any understanding of the rise of capitalism. In 18th century London, the spectacle of a hanging was not simply a form of punishing transgressors. Rather it evidently served the more sinister purpose for a privileged ruling class of forcing the poor population of London to accept the criminalization of customary rights and new forms of private property. In this new edition, the author reinforces his original arguments with detailed responses to his critics based on an impressive array of historical sources.