Her books the retreat from class and the origin of capitalism won awards. Ellen meiksins wood, for many years professor of political science at york university, toronto, is the author of many books, including the pristine culture of capitalism, the origin of capitalism, peasantcitizen and slave, citizens to lords, empire of capital and liberty and property. Precisely these criticisms of political economy have recently been used in an important book by g. What links here related changes upload file special pages permanent link page information wikidata item. The increasingly transparent weaknesses and contradictions in the capitalist system may eventually convince even some of its more uncritical supporters that an alternative needs to be found. Zeitlin and ellen meiksins wood, about how race and class relate to each other. Capitalism as the privatisation of political power. Ellen meiksins wood author of the origin of capitalism. Ellen meiksins wood critiques accounts about the origin of capitalismacross the political spectrum. Sep 21, 2017 ellen meiksins wood on the spread of capitalism posted on september 21, 2017 by nick johnson marxist historian ellen meiksins wood, in an excerpt from her hugely interesting book the origin of capitalism, describes the spread of capitalism from its unique genesis in england and its impact on international relations p. I didnt know the context of the polemic or understand the significance of ellen s robust defence of political marxism. Ellen meiksins wood, for many years professor of political science at york university, toronto, was the author of many books, including democracy against capitalism, the pristine culture of capitalism, the origin of capitalism.
In the origin of capitalism, a nowclassic work of history, ellen meiksins wood. Questioning the conception of modernity itself, wood. A brilliant marxist historian and theorist, ellen meiksins wood passed away january 14, after a long battle with cancer. Wood was a thinker of extraordinary range, writing with authority on ancient greece, early modern political thought, contemporary political theory, marxism, and the structure and evolution of modern capitalism. The origin of capitalism is a 1999 book on history and political economy by scholar ellen meiksins wood. Case studies in the origins of capitalism xavier lafrance. Ellen meiksins wood simple english wikipedia, the free. Current intellectual fashions of the left which emphasise postmodern fragmentation, difference, contingency and the politics of identity can barely accommodate the idea.
The origin of capitalism ebook by ellen meiksins wood. The core of comrade wood s thesis is that the origin of capitalism as a world system was in england. Many different progressive and revolutionary movements in american history were never able to overcome racial differences to create class unity in key historic class struggles. In the origin of capitalism, a nowclassic work of history, ellen meiksins wood offers readers a clear and accessible introduction to the theories and debates concerning the birth of capitalism, imperialism, and the modern nation state. The imperial and transpacific origins of chinese capitalism. Slightly more than a decade later, wood took on robert brenner, her lifelong friend and political comrade, on the origins of modern capitalism. By contrast capitalism makes possible a new form of domination by purely economic means, argues ellen meiksins wood. Ellen meiksins wood 19422016 marxists internet archive. This article represents a critical reading of ellen meiksins wood s book the origin of capitalism. Ellen meiksins wood critiques accounts about the origin of capitalism across the political spectrum, including marxistsfor overlooking the begging questions about what really drove the emergence of capitalism. Pdf on oct 1, 2002, ricardo duchesne and others published on the origins of.
Ellen meiksins wood author ellen meiksins wood, for many years professor of political science at york university, toronto, is the author of many books, including democracy against capitalism and, with verso, the pristine culture of capitalism, the origin of capitalism, peas. Capitalism the economic and the political in capitalism classpower and statepower feudalism and private property capitalism as the privatisation of political power the localisation of classstruggle england vs. In the first part of the article, i present wood s thesis concerning the historical origin of capitalism and its political implications. Jan 14, 2016 ellen meiksins wood, for many years professor of political science at york university, toronto, was the author of many books, including democracy against capitalism, the pristine culture of capitalism, the origin of capitalism, peasantcitizen and slave, citizens to lords, empire of capital and liberty and property. Ellen meiksins wood april 12, 1942 january 14, 2016 was an americancanadian marxist historian and scholar. It is with great pleasure that we can belatedly announce on this website, the publication of the ellen meiksins wood reader, edited by larry. Cohen to support an argument against a social interpretation of materialism. Democracy against capitalism by ellen meiksins wood. Ellen meiksins wood argues that with the collapse of communism the theoretical project of marxism and its critique of capitalism is more timely and important than ever in this book she sets out to. In part ii, wood argues that capitalism emerged in the unique conditions of late medieval and early modern english agrarian society, basing her argument firmly on robert brenners agrarian class structure and economic development in preindustrial europe. Ellen meiksins wood argues that with the collapse of communism the theoretical project of marxism and its critique of capitalism is more timely and important than ever.
It is the absence from english lordship of seigneurie banale the specific political form of parcellised. Ellen meiksins wood democracy against capitalism marx 200. I have a vivid memory too vivid to be an accident of the first time i read something written by ellen meiksins wood. The origin of capitalism is a 1999 book on history and political economy, specifically the history of capitalism, by scholar ellen meiksins wood, written. Ellen meiksins wood critiques accounts about the origin of capitalismacross the political spectrum, including marxistsfor overlooking the begging questions about what really drove the emergence of capitalism. But more than that, the implication is that any city with its characteristic practices of trade and commerce is by its very nature potentially capitalist from the start, and only extraneous obstacles have stood in the way of any urban civilization giving rise to capitalism. Her wideranging and original work, covering topics which range from examinations of athenian democracy to contemporary american imperialism, has, alongside robert brenner, inaugurated the political marxist approach to history. A longer view 2002 its a brilliant book, a marxist account highly sympathetic to robert. Ellen meiksins wood, the separation of the economic and the. A social history of western political thought from the renaissance to enlightenment. Comninel the specific historical basis for the development of capitalism in england and not in france is traced to the unique structure of english manorial lordship.
Pdf the origins of capitalism according to ellen meiksins wood. Ellen meiksins wood on the spread of capitalism the. Ellen meiksins wood argues that, with the collapse of communism, the theoretical project of marxism and its critique of capitalism is more timely and important than ever. Rather, it is a late and localized product of very specific historical conditions, which required great transformations in. Capitalism is not a natural and inevitable consequence of human nature, nor simply an extension of ageold. Globalisation and imperialism globalisation and the nationstate nationstates, classes, and universal capitalism the indispensable state precapitalist imperialism the classic age of imperialism globalisation and war globalisation and imperial hegemony the contradictions of capitalist imperialism 8. Pdf the origin of capitalism download full pdf book. Democracy against capitalism by wood, ellen meiksins ebook. The ellen meiksins wood reader edited by larry patriquin.
Capitalism is supposed to have been born and bred in the city. Ellen meiksins wood, for many years professor of political science at york university, toronto, was the author of many books, including democracy against capitalism, the pristine culture of capitalism, the origin of capitalism, peasantcitizen and slave, citizens to lords, empire of capital and liberty and property. Wood was born in new york city as ellen meiksins one year after her parents, latvian jews active in the bund, arrived in new york from europe as political refugees. In the origin of capitalism, a now classic work of history, ellen meiksins wood. As a friend and colleague vivek chibber stated, wood was a thinker of extraordinary range, writing with authority on ancient greece, early modern political thought, contemporary political theory, marxism, and the structure. Capitalism is not a natural and inevitable consequence of human nature, nor simply an extension of ageold practices of trade and commerce. Empire of capital by ellen meiksins wood pdf free download. I didnt know the context of the polemic or understand the. Ellen meiksins wood april 12, 1942 january, 2016 was an americancanadian marxist historian and scholar. Ellen meiksins wood, 19422016 i have a vivid memory too vivid to be an accident of the first time i read something written by ellen meiksins wood. Ellen meiksins wood passed away yesterday after a long struggle with cancer.
The agrarian origins of capitalism by wood, ellen meiksins. Ellen meiksins wood, capitalism and human emancipation, nlr i. Ellen meiksins wood, for many years professor of political science at york university, toronto, is the author of many books, including democracy against capitalism and, with verso, the pristine culture of capitalism, the origin of capitalism, peasantcitizen and slave, citizens to lords, empire of capital and liberty and property. The origin of capitalism is a 1999 book on history and political economy, specifically the history of capitalism, by scholar ellen meiksins wood, written from the perspective of political marxism. Ellen meiksins wood 19422016, for many years professor of political science at york university, toronto, was the author of many books, including democracy against capitalism, the pristine culture of capitalism, the origin of capitalism, peasantcitizen and slave, citizens to lords, empire of capital and liberty and property. It was a blend that won her the loyal, adoring friendship of many people.
This debate represents a historical problem in the american marxist movement. This acclaimed book by ellen meiksins wood is available at in several formats for your ereader. Ellen meiksins wood, for many years professor of political science at york university, toronto, is the author of many books, including the pristine culture of capitalism, the origin of capitalism, peasantcitizen and slave, citizens to lords, emp. The origin of capitalism the damage, as many millions of people have often suffered from the cure as from the disease. Ellen meiksins wood capitalism and human emancipation l et me say something, first, about isaac deutscher, not just in some ritual tribute for the occasion but because it seems appropriate to what i am going to say in my lecture and the spirit in which i intend to say it. In the origin of capitalism, ellen meiksins wood challenges most existing accounts of capitalism s origins, arguing that they fail to recognize its distinctive attributes as a social system by making its emergence seem natural and inevitable. In this clarifying work, ellen meiksins wood refutes most existing accounts of the origin of capitalism, which, she argues, fail to recognize capitalism s distinctive attributes as a social system, making it seem a culmination of a natural human inclination to sell and buy. African studies american studies ancient near east and egypt art history asian studies book history and cartography biblical studies classical studies education.
This was the paradox of ellen meiksins wood, or, rather, her achievement. Ellen meiksins wood york university, toronto abstract this article challenges the currently fashionable periodization of history since the eighteenth century into two major phases, modernity and postmodernity. Liberty and property by ellen meiksins wood overdrive. Abstract this article restores early colonial hong kong to a key role in the. May 02, 2017 ellen meiksins wood 19422016, for many years professor of political science at york university, toronto, was the author of many books, including democracy against capitalism, the pristine culture of capitalism, the origin of capitalism, peasantcitizen and slave, citizens to lords, empire of capital and liberty and property. In this original and provocative book ellen meiksins wood reminds us that capitalism is not a natural and inevitable consequence of human nature, nor is it simply an extension of ageold practices of trade and commerce.
Ellen meiksins wood is a leading contemporary political theorist who has elaborated an innovative approach to the history of political thought, the social history. Democracy against capitalism download ebook pdf, epub. The bibliography of works by ellen meiksins wood, 19702012, found at the end of the reader, does not include translations which have appeared in more than a dozen languages, though it does include a few works in ger man and french which have not yet been published in english. Ellen meiksins wood 19422016 was a leading political theorist and one of the worlds most influential historians. Wood was an extraordinarily rigorous and imaginative thinker, someone who breathed life into marxist political theory and made it speaknot to just to me but to many othersat. Her social history is a significant departure from other contextual interpretations. The origin of capitalism assume the very thing that needs to be explained. Mar 14, 2017 ellen meiksins wood, for many years professor of political science at york university, toronto, is the author of many books, including democracy against capitalism and, with verso, the pristine culture of capitalism, the origin of capitalism, peasantcitizen and slave, citizens to lords, empire of capital and liberty and property. In this groundbreaking work, ellen meiksins wood lays out her innovative approach to the history of political theory and traces the development of the western tradition from classical antiquity through the late middle ages. English feudalism and the origins of capitalism george c. These findings directly challenge woods contention that brenners thesis is firmly. Current intellectual fashions of the left which emphasise postmodern fragmentation, difference, contingency and the politics of identity can barely accommodate the idea of capitalism, let alone subject the capitalist. A social history of western political thought from the renaissance to enlightenment ebook.
But i only finally did that two years ago, at the suggestion of, i think it was, paul heideman. The origin of capitalism ellen meiksins wood national. Historian and political thinker ellen meiksins wood argues that theories of postmodern fragmentation, difference, and contingency can barely accommodate the idea of capitalism, let alone subject it to critique. How did the dynamic economic system we know as capitalism develop among the peasants and lords of feudal europe. This reader includes selections from ellen meiksins wood s groundbreaking scholarship, providing an overview of her original interpretations of capitalism. The origins of capitalism according to ellen meiksins wood.
470 885 1481 1453 765 1009 20 216 1023 115 953 17 905 597 1610 404 704 1582 810 1163 1380 381 5 1395 1235 1323 698 1438 1039 226 1118 109 591 40 98 1262 512 306 602 260 254