Abstract:

The analysis of the process of transition from feodalism to capitalism has become a topic of interest, especially in the Marxist economy history. The debate on this process, called the "transition debate" in literature, has not yet ended. The reason for this is due to different conceptualizations in the analysis of the powers that lead to the birth and decline of feodalism and the powers that lead to the birth of capitalism. This article focuses on Robert Brenner’s study of his thoughts on the transition from feodalism to capitalism. In this context, Brenner’s “political accumulation” concept, the balance of class forces between lords and peasants, the views on demography in the transition process are addressed.

Abstract:

The analysis of the transition from feudalism to capitalism has always been a focus point especially in Marxist history of economics. The debates on this period that is called as the “transition debate” in the literature, has not been concluded, yet. The very first reason of that is the difference in the conceptualisation in the analysis of the forces causing the birth and collapse of the feudalism and the forces causing the capitalism to emerge. This paper focuses on the examination of the thoughts of Robert Brenner on the transition from feudalism to capitalism. In this context, the considerations of Brenner on the class forces balance between the landlords and peasants, the demography on the transition period together with the “political accumulation” concept of him.

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