Through engaging vignettes, A Brief History of Entrepreneurship charts how the pursuit of profit by private individuals has been a prime mover in revolutionizing civilization. Entrepreneurs often butt up against processes, technologies, social conventions, and even laws. So, they circumvent, innovate, and violate to obtain what they want. Consulting rich archival sources, including some that have never before been translated, Carlen maps the course of human history through nine episodes in which entrepreneurship reshaped our world. Yet the pursuit of profit hasn't always been positive. From slavery to organized crime, Carlen explores how entrepreneurship can sometimes work at the expense of others. Lastly, he discusses the new entrepreneurs who, through the nascent space tourism industry, are leading humanity to a multiplanetary future.