1. Energy and Politics Before the Carbon Age Forests Hydraulic Politics Proto-Fossil China English Coal
2. Life in the Factory Why Britain? Slow Steam, Rushing Water Coal Fire Spreads
3. Carbon Democracy and Its Limits Carbon energy and Its Democratic Promise The Limits of Carbon Democracy Carbon Empires Oil Violence in Revolutionary Mexico
4. Cold War Carbon The Cold Was and Decolonization Energy Recovery Oil and Democracy in the Middle East
5. The Politics of Energy Crisis Posted Prices Inventing and Energy Crisis Neocolonial Carbon