Re: Feudal-capitalism

[Andy Daitsman <adaitsma@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Alex Trotter writes:
>       Apropos of what someone on the list, bringing up Trotsky, said
>about "combined and uneven development," why shouldn't it be possible for
>capitalism to resurrect (and coexist with) some form of despotism that
>does not deal in free (i.e., wage) labor?

In Latin America, we call this "articulations of modes of production," and
we find it all over the place, from the time of the conquest right up to the
present.  A fundamental work suggesting the possibility is Witold Kula's
study of 17th (?) feudalism in Poland, and the idea was elaborated most
elegantly by Enrique Semo in _Historia del capitalismo en Mexico.  Los
origenes, 1521-1793_.  I think the English translation of Semo just came out
in the last year or two.  If anyone really wants to know, I can double check.

>       And one more thing: I certainly hope that one of the goals of
>socialism, if indeed there is to be such a thing as socialism, is to
>abolish prisons altogether. I'm not going to support any "mode of
>production" that doesn't!

How's that old refrain go?  "Men make their own history, but they do not
make it just as they please..."

Andy



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