Marx, historical materialism and the Asiatic mode of production.

摘要

Historical materialism (HM), the theory of history originally developed by Marx and Engels is most commonly interpreted as a unilinear model, which dictates that all societies must pass through definite and universally similar stages on the route to communism.;The Asiatic mode of production (AMP) offers concrete evidence that Marx and Engels, as well as generations of Marxists proceeding them, understood human history as a very different, and much more complex, multilinear totality. This thesis will prove that despite its controversial nature, the AMP consistently remained an integral aspect of Marx and Engels' model of HM throughout their lives. It will be argued that the two authors' development of the AMP spanned many decades and was based on careful and considered analysis of how historical developments in other parts of the world both conformed and diverged from the five stage model of development they had extrapolated from the history of Europe. This thesis will also suggest that the two authors were undogmatic and flexible in their treatment and understanding of historical phenomena. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)