Even our language changed. The word individuals did not apply to persons until the 17th century. And in the 18th century, a career still referred only to horses racing lives. Perhaps the most important idea that was popularized in England was that men and women were consumers as well as producers, and that this was actually a good thing because the desire to consume manufactured goods could spur economic growth. The main spur to trade, or rather to industry and ingenuity, is the exorbitant appetite of men, which they will take pain to gratify. So wrote John Kerry, one of capitalism's cheerleaders, in 1695. And in talking about our appetites, he wasn't just talking about food.