What does it mean to be a man of wealth and power? How is the "worth" of wealth translated into moral worth in the identity of wealthy men? How does this identity comprise a mythical place of masculine desire in the social imagination of the American dream? These are the central themes The "Better Angels" of Capitalism explores.

Beginning with a series of ethnographic interviews with a variety of wealthy American men, Andrew Herman roots his discussion in the concerns of interpretive sociology of class and culture.

However, he draws upon diverse perspectives within the humanities and social sciences, including history, political and social philosophy, feminist theory, rhetorical studies, cultural anthropology, and literary criticism, to present a coherent exploration of the sociopolitical implications of being wealthy in an economically unequal - and increasingly unstable - society.