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RMW Assignment - Transition Debate from Dobb-Sweezy to Brenner's Debate.
Course: BA (Hons.) History
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Name:- Sparsh Mayank
Roll Number:- 21/85193
Section:- B
TOPIC:-How and Why did the Brenner debate of 1970’s provide a necessary correction to the
earlier transition debate of 1950’s commonly known as Dobb-Sweezy controversy?
Dobb-Sweezy Debate or The Transition debate:-
Feudalism in Europe emerged around 10th century and around 15th century faced crisis and
paved way for the rise of capitalism. The most lively academic debate is "transition debate"
which relate to question of what led to decline of feudalism and the connection, this decline
had with birth of capitalism , and causes that led to transition whether were internal or external ,
not only between marxists and non marxists scholars but also within Marxists scholars. The 4
major explanation for decline of feudalism around which debate revolves are:-
1) "INNER CONTRADICTION MODEL" or "PROPERTY-RELATION PERSPECTIVE
"supported by Maurice Dobb , Rodney Hilton, Christopher Hill, Kohachiro Takahashi.
2) "MARKET or COMMERCIAL MODEL" or "EXCHANGE-RELATIONS PERSPECTIVE"
backed by Paul sweezy , Immanuel Wallerstein and Henrrie Pirenne
3) "MALTHUSIAN MODEL"or "DEMOGRAPHIC MODEL" (non marxist explanation)supported
by Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie, MM Postan
4) CLASS-RELATION MODEL" given by a Marxist scholar Robert Brenner.
An unending debate began with the publication of Maurice Dobb's work -"studies in the
development of capitalism"(1946) in which he elaborated Marxist debate over western pattern of
transition from feudalism to capitalism and even challenged commercialization model. Dobb defines
feudalism as being identical with serfdom(an obligation laid on the producer by force and independently
of his own volition to fulfill certain economic demands of an overlord ,these demands take the form of
services to be performed or of dues to be paid in money or in kind). He considers low level of
technique,simple and inexpensive instruments of production ,production for use not for wider market
,political decentralization as the basic characteristics of feudal society .He also asserts that feudal
economy doesn't imply natural economy or absence of money transactions. Imply is that markets are
local and long distance trade doesn't determine method of production. Dobb founds Pirenne's
explanation inadequate. According to Dobb trade never disappeared from feudal society . He gives
evidence of eastern Europe where the very development of trade led to the reinforcement of feudal
obligations in 16th and 18th centuries and called as period of "second Serfdom" in Engels phrase.
Therefore growth of money economy per se led to an intensification of serfdom.
In Dobb's view inefficiency of feudalism as a system of production coupled with growing needs of
ruling class for revenue and over exploitation of labour force were primarily responsible for decline of
feudalism . This need for additional revenue promoted an increase in pressure on the producers which
became unbearable and over exploitation of labour force compelled serfs to desert lords estate. Those
remained were few and overworked to enable the system to maintain.
Along with Dobb other scholars such as Rodney Hilton, Takahashi, Eric Hobsbawn believed that it was
internal relationship of feudal mode of production that determines its disintegration. The absence of
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