Deep History: A Study in Social Evolution and Human PotentialDoes history have a direction? Are there principles that unify our experience and show connections among diverse places, times, and cultures? Seeking to answer these questions, Deep History offers a fresh theory of social evolution while thinking grandly about the human condition. With his theory based in the Marxian and historical materialist tradition, David Laibman starts from scratch and utilizes some of the best insights in economics and economic history, sociology, political science, anthropology, history, and philosophy to construct a new framework for understanding the most general aspects of social evolution. He then applies this framework to modern era capitalist societies and, projecting it on a postcapitalist or socialist future, captures an understanding of the core momentum that has characterized our lived experience, a momentum considerate of diversity, contingency, and the role of human consciousness over time. |
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Deep History: A Study in Social Evolution and Human Potential David Laibman No preview available - 2006 |
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abstract accumulation activity actual appears aspects associated basis become called capitalism capitalist central chapter collective communism complex conception consciousness continual core course crisis critical cultural defining determined differential diffusion direct distinction economy effect elements emergence enterprise essential established evolution example existence experience exploitation fact fall feudal figure first forces formation given growth historical human incentive income increase individual labor Marx Marxist material means nature organization outcome ownership period PF–PR planning political population position possible potential present principle problem production profit progress question ratio reasons reference relations reproduction requires result rise role sense share simply slave social socialist society Soviet stadial stage structure surplus surplus extraction symbolic theoretical theory tion transformation transition turn wage workers workplace
Popular passages
Page viii - Men make their own history, but they do not make it just as they please; they do not make it under circumstances chosen by themselves, but under circumstances directly encountered, given and transmitted from the past.