The theory of capital has remained on the margins of economics at least since the end of the debate between the two Cambridges. Moreover, no further development of economic science is possible without resolving the issue of the nature of capital and its historical limits. The book proposes a new approach to this issue, which takes into account both the achievements of classical political economy, including the works of Karl Marx, and the more recent achievements of economic theory. It is shown that the nature of capital can only be understood if one goes beyond the narrow economic view. Modern capital theory requires taking into account the achievements of the theories of culture, information and evolution. The second part of the work is published.