The origins and growth of the bourgeoisie in Sri Lanka during British rule are important aspects of the country's modern history. Here, Kumari Jayawardena traces the evolution of the bourgeoisie from a "feudal" society and mercantilist economy, to the age of plantations. She assigns primacy to class over caste, and details the rise of the new-rich "nobodies" of many castes, ethnicities and religions into the ranks of the "somebodies". She discusses the links between capital accumulation, religious revivalism, ethnic identity and political movements, and highlights the obsession of the bourgeoisie with land acquisition and social status.