Samantatantra Theke Pujnibade Uttaran

Product Overview

This debate regarding the transition from feudalism to capitalism was first published in the pages of Science & Society in the early 1950s. It stands as a remarkable contribution to Marxist historiography in the post-war era. Distinguished scholars such as Maurice Dobb, Paul Sweezy, Kohachiro Takahashi, and Christopher Hill have shed light on this subject from various analytical angles. Along with the complete text of the original debate, writings by Georges Lefebvre and Giuliano Procacci have also been included for pertinent reasons. ​What was the role of trade during the Dark Ages? How did the various concepts of feudal rent evolve throughout the Middle Ages? Where should one seek the economic origins of medieval cities? Why did serfdom eventually disappear from Western Europe? During the transition from feudalism to capitalism, what was the exact nature of the relationship between urban and rural areas? How should the importance of foreign trade expansion be evaluated in the context of the primitive accumulation of capital in Europe? When did the first bourgeois revolution begin, and which social classes participated in it? ​Answers to many such questions are sought within these writings. ​Several decades have passed since the original debate took place. In the meantime, much new research has emerged on the subject. Rodney Hilton, in his valuable introduction, has examined those developments with deep attention. There is no doubt that this collection will equally attract students and general readers alike.