The 'Triumph' of Capitalism as a Topic in the Theory of Social Selection

In: New left review: NLR, Issue 210, p. 33-47

Abstract

Circumstances responsible for capitalism's emergence as the prevailing mode of production or failure to become the predominant mode of production within various historical societies are investigated. It is contended that the capitalist mode of production is not necessarily affiliated with particular modes of coercion or persuasion; although the theory of social selection recognizes different manifestations of capitalist production in these historical societies, it is stressed that such transitions to capitalism possess commonalties, eg, birth & mortality rates of the laborers & comparative advantages provided by different actors. Aspects of ancient Roman, colonial Southern US, & colonial African society that obstructed or completely prevented the establishment of wage-labor systems, & thus capitalist modes of production, in those historical societies are highlighted; in addition, conditions that facilitated the growth of capitalist production in the colonial Northern US region are highlighted. Despite the overthrow of socialist in the former USSR, it is stressed that Russia's industrial history is resistant to the full implementation of free market wage-labor, thereby challenging the position that post-Soviet Russia will adopt a capitalist mode of production. It is concluded that capitalism does not necessarily have to triumph as the favored mode of production in all societies. J. W. Parker