An Analysis Of R.Brenner's Theory Of "Feudalism Transitions To Capitalism"

The theory of "the transition from feudalism to capitalism" is an important research achievement of American marxist economic historian R.Brenner.Through the re-drawing of the formation process of western capitalism,R.Brenner points out with great originality that as a mode of production,the appearance of capitalism in western history is not based on the logic of the development of productivity itself,but on the transformation of social property relations based on the opportunity of class struggle.This conclusion on productivity and production relations of the relationship between the basic concept of historical materialism of carding and clarification,it constitutes the classic works of Marxism on the one hand the determinism of productivity in the questioning and criticism,on the other hand,the basic principle of historical materialism to explain the effectiveness of the process of human social development.R.Brenner has combed through the history of the origin of capitalism in Western Europe.In his opinion,the superposition of various accidental events laid two important realistic foundations for the origin of capitalism in Western Europe.The other is the loss of means of production by direct producers.The emergence of the two depends on the historical situation of class conflict in different countries.Applying this conclusion to the study of the development of Marx's thought,R.Brenner divided the so-called "early" Marx and the "late"Marx,believing that the early Marx did not completely get rid of the determinism of productivity,while the late Marx began to pay attention to the status of class struggle.Based on this understanding,R.Brenner respectively examined and identified the thoughts of the so-called "early Marx"(represented by the German ideology)and the "late Marx"(represented by the economic manuscripts of 1857-1858).In fact,Marx never isolated productivity as a "pure material" elements,on the contrary,Marx stressed in the text that productivity can only be developed in specific social relations and forms of communication.R.Brenner's insights and conclusions are a reinterpretation of Marxist historical materialism.Brenner's theory of" feudalism transition to capitalism",did not constitute to Marx's thought of the rational criticism of the development process,basic principles of marxist historical materialism did not constitute a fundamental subversion,but he took the analysis method to a certain extent,it constitutes a new challenge to the historical materialism,thus we deepen the recognition of historical materialism and inheritance development is an eternal proposition.