This authoritative collection brings together the leading contributions to the comparative study of forms of capitalism. An introductory essay presents the context in which these contributions developed, discusses the major issues raised by such comparative work, and suggests likely future developments.Topics include the major theoretical issues involved in analysing different kinds of market economies; the key frameworks for comparing systems of economic organisation, both historically and between societies; the analysis of the distinctive varieties of industrial capitalism that have developed in the Anglo-Saxon countries, Continental Europe and East Asia and studies of globalisation and the connections between types of market economies and varying forms of economic performance, particularly in terms of sectoral development and technical change. The collection will be an indispensable reference source and will improve access to important papers that may not be available in many libraries.