The Trajectory of Historical Capitalism and Marxism's Tricontinental Vocation

Bibliographic Data

ID9200182
AuthorsSamir Amin (0000-0002-6322-7208, corresponding author)
Year2011
Volume62
Issue9
Pages1
Publication date2011-02-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMonthly Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0027-0520 • E-ISSN: 0027-0520
PublisherMonthly Review Foundation (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.14452/mr-062-09-2011-02_1
OpenAlexW2015930558
LanguageEN
Citations received5

The long history of capitalism is composed of three distinct, successive phases: (1) a lengthy preparation—the transition from the tributary mode, the usual form of organization of pre-modern societies—which lasted eight centuries, from 1000 to 1800; (2) a short period of maturity (the nineteenth century), during which the "West" affirmed its domination; (3) the long "decline" caused by the "Awakening of the South" (to use the title of my book, published in 2007) in which the peoples and their states regained the major initiative in transforming the world—the first wave having taken place in the twentieth century. This struggle against an imperialist order that is inseparable from the global expansion of capitalism is itself the potential agent in the long road of transition, beyond capitalism, toward socialism. In the twenty-first century, there are now the beginnings of a second wave of independent initiatives by the peoples and states of the South.This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website, where most recent articles are published in full.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website

Aesthetics · Capitalism · Communism · Economic history · Maturity (psychological) · Period (music) · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Socialism · Sociology · Third wave · Transition (genetics) · History · Law · Philosophy · Political Economy and Marxism

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