A history of small business in America

Publisher's description: From the colonial era to the present day, small businesses have been an integral part of American life. First published in 1991 and now thoroughly revised and updated, A History of Small Business in America explores the central but ever-changing role played by small enterprises in the nation's economic, political, and cultural development. Examining small businesses in manufacturing, sales, services, and farming, Mansel Blackford argues that while small firms have always been important to the nation's development, their significance has varied considerably in different time periods and in different segments of our economy. Throughout, he relates small business development to changes in America's overall business and economic systems and offers comparisons between the growth of small business in the United States to its development in other countries. He places special emphasis on the importance of small business development for women and minorities. Unique in its breadth, this book provides the only comprehensive overview of these significant topics.

First sentence: Writing in 1849, John Beaucamp Jones, a small-scale Missouri storekeeper, captured well the importance of merchants in mid-nineteenth-century American life: "Wherever the surges of 'manifest destiny' scatter the seeds of civilization-whether it be in solemn shade and solitude of the dark forests bordering the 'Mad Missouri,' or on the interminable praises beyond the woods-the merchant or trader is

Year

1991

Language

English

Publisher

The University of North Carolina Press

Editions

2

Pages

272

ISBN

9780807854532

Data source: Wikidata