Marxism and the Question of the Asiatic Mode of Production
Wherever possible in this monograph I have referred to English trans lations of works originally appearing in other languages. Where this has not been possible, for example with Russian material, I have followed the Library of Congress system of translit
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STUDIES IN SOCIAL HISTORY issued by the INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL HISTORY AMSTERDAM
I.
W.H. ROOBOL. Tsereteli - A Democrat in the Russian Revolution. A Political Biography.
2.
ZVI ROSEN. Bruno Bauer and Karl Marx. The Influence of Bruno Bauer on Marx's Thought.
3.
MARIAN SAWER.
Marxism and the Question ot the Asiatic Mode ot Production.
MARXISM AND THE QUESTION OF THE ASIATIC MODE OF PRODUCTION by
MARIAN SA WER
II MARTINUS NI]HOFF
I
THE HAGUE
I
1977
The publishing of this volume has been made possible by the financial support of the University of Adelaide and the International Institute of Social History.
I977 by Maf'tinus Nijhotf, The Hague, NethfJ.rlands Soflcover reprint o/the hardcover 1st edition 1977 Allf'ights res61'Ved, including the right to translate 01' to reproduce this book Of' parts thereof in any form @
ISBN-13: 978-94-009-9687-8 e-ISBN-13: 978-94-009-9685-4 DOI: 10.1007/978-94-009-9685-4
CONTENTS
Preface Abbreviations INTRODUCTION
I.
THE PREHISTORY OF THE MARXIAN CONCEPT OF THE ASIATIC MODE OF PRODUCTION
The Legacy of Aristotle 5 Travellers' Tales 9 Oriental Despotism and French Politics, the First Phase: A Negative Model for Europe 12 Oriental Despotism and French Politics, the Second Phase: A Positive Model for Europe 18 Empires Belonging to Space and not to Time 25 The Contribution of Political Economy: The Relation of Private Property to Progress 29
II.
THE MARXIAN CONCEPT OF THE ASIATIC MODE OF PRODUCTION
Marx's Perception of the Non-Western World 40 Alternative Interpretations: The Question of the Continuity or Discontinuity of Marx's Model of Asiatic Society 46 Marx's Analysis of Asiatic Society in the General Perspective of his Social Theory 51 The City in East and West 56 The Ancient East 59 The Asiatic Village System: Passport to the Future? 63 The Contribution of Engels to the Marxian Analysis of the NonWestern World 69 'Asiatic Feudalism' 75 The Asiatic Mode of Production and Sino-Soviet Relations 80 I. The Beginnings of the Debate:1925-I926 81 2. The Introduction of the Term Asiatic Mode of Production 83 3. The Peak of the Debate 1929-1931 91 4. The Arguments Used Against the AMP Concept 95 The Impact of the Sino-Soviet Rift 100
VII VIII I
4
VI
III.
CONTENTS THE ASIATIC MODE OF PRODUCTION IN RELATION TO THE PLACE OF GEOGRAPHICAL FACTORS IN HISTORICAL MATERIALISM
Marx on the Role of Geographical Factors in Historical Development 104 Engels' Account of Laws of Nature 1I2 The 'Geographical Deviation': Plekhanov lI5 The 'Geographical Deviation': Wittfogel 125 Historical Materialism Versus Geographical Determinism: Stalin and Beyond 128 The Revolt of the Soviet Geographers against Stalin 129 The Reassessment of the Place of Geographical Factors in Historical Materialism 134 136 A Note on the Population Factor
IV.
MARXIST PERSPECTIVES ON RUSSIAN HISTORY: THE PRACTICAL ApPLICATION OF THE CONCEPT OF THE ASIATIC MODE OF PRODUCTION
140
Marx's Conception of the Character of the Russian State: Russia Contrasted with Europe 140 Marx and the Service-Sta
