Question

Also describe how Marx’s theory can explain the emergence of capitalism from feudalism.

Answer 1

Long-distance trade is considered to be one of the prime factors in the transition from feudalism to capitalism. In the young feudal states trade was subordinate to the manors and in the mature systems the signs of weakening of the feudal ties started appearing much before trade became an integral part of Western Europe. Feudalism means a form of society or stage of civilization that flourishes, especially in a closed agrarian economy, and has certain general characteristics besides the mere presence of lords, vassals, and fief.

There is no single Marxist hypothesis on the progress from feudalism to capitalism. He portrayed capitalism as a 'method of generation' of the material abundance of society, and trusted that the social and political foundations, the thoughts and accomplishments of any general public are eventually gotten from its 'method of production'. He saw the change from feudal to a capital society in the change from a primary agrarian society of petty producers to a society producing commodities for exchange in the market. Karl Marx provides two alternative routes to capitalism:

1. He emphasizes the corrosive effect of mercantile activity, the expansion of market and the growth of cities on feudal systems. He suggested that mercantile capitalism within an autonomous urban sphere provided the initial thrust towards capitalism.
2. He focuses on the producer and the process by which the producer becomes mercantile capitalist. For Marx, this was the real revolutionary path towards capitalism.