In this book Gerald Sider rebuilds theories of class and class struggle, at the same time rethinking and making significant the concept of culture. Rooted in the history of the last two centuries of daily life in the maritime villages of Newfoundland and Labrador, the book develops an historical anthropology that interweaves ordinary moments, spectacular customs, and social confrontations, as well as exploring the role of folk culture in daily life, state politics, and labour domination. It also presents an original analysis of merchant capital, the often unexamined context of a great many anthropological studies, and a key factor in the integration of the hinterlands with regional and global economic systems.