THE PEASANTRY AS A POLITICAL FACTOR

The contemporary sociological thought neglects the traditional peasantry as »non-existed historically speaking«, what is only the consequence of the fact that peasantry does not fit well into any of our images of modern society. The author ueiines tne peasantry as the small producers on land who, with the help of simple equipment and the labour of their families, produce mainly for their own consumption, and for the fulfilment of their duties to the holders of political and economic power, and who within their village community are almost totally socially seif-suficient. This analytical definition of the peasantry is based on following moments: »The relation to the land«, »The family farm«, »The farming as an occupation«, »The village structure« and »The peasantry as a pre-industrial social entity«. In historical context the peasantry appears as a special modus o\u27 life which Indentifies a stage in the development of human society. The autiio, analyzes distinctive cultural patterns between traditional (small-produce) peasantry and the industrialising one (i. e. the farmers). Today there are existing three parallel patterns of spontaneous development of the countryside: 1) the competition of large-scale, capital intensive and mechanised agriculture which destroys the small farm; 2) the development of the peasants into a professional stratum of farmers; and 3) the, so-called, »cumulative pauperisation« of peasantry of under- -developed societies. As distinct from those spontaneous trends author remarks the factor of »state organized collectivisation of land« in USSR and the other socialist countries. It is much more difficult to define the peasantry as the segment of the society. In a contemporary society peasantry appears as a »class of low classness« which is a self-sufficient in high degree from market and social crisis situations. Its political-class consensus bear from time to time through military action. The political action and/or influence of peasantry\u27 are determined by its character as a social entity (»independent class action«, »guided political action«, the fully\u27 spontaneous amorphous political action «etc.). The author concludes with the constatation that only a combination of both conceptual and empirical research may overcome the shortcomings of our knowledge of the peasantry

El Marx tardío: No Dios artesano

El artículo del investigador Teodor Shanin, profesor de sociología de la Universidad de Manchester, cuya traducción ofrecemos en este número de Encuentro, es un paso adelante en el rescate de un Marx que pensó los problemas de las formaciones “periféricas” del capitalismo y repensó su propio esquema evolutivo de los modos de producción desde la perspectiva del “despotismo oriental” y los estudios sobre la comuna rusa “primitiva”. Nuestra teoría latinoamericana de la dependencia o las tesis del “desarrollo desigual” pueden reclamar con plenos derechos a Marx como su precursor. De igual modo resulta consecuentemente marxista la praxis de la pluralidad de vías al socialismo y queda descalificada –de una vez por todas- como reduccionismo anti-marxista toda interpretación que pretenda que el marxismo sea el libreto del supuestamente único tren que conduciría al supuestamente único mundo socialista del futuro

Agricultura Soviética y Perestroika: La tarea más urgente, la meta más lejana

En el año de 1987, la Unión Soviética reconsideraba sus alternativas de desarrollo. El hecho de que es el hombre el que determina la estructura social resulta obvio en esas circunstancias en que, por un periodo de tiempo, el cielo es el único límite y parece que todo se puede cambiar, que todo es imposible y discutible. En tales condiciones también se abre una brecha entre los planes y la realidad social heredada del pasado, y muchas cosas dependerán de la forma en que esta brecha se cierre. Sea como sea, son tiempos inolvidables para aquellos que tienen la oportunidad de vivirlos. Una generación política se alimentará de las imágenes e ideas que ahora se establecen, como ocurrió en Europa Occidental en 1968: La izquierda esgrimirá esas imágenes e ideas en sus banderas y las mantendrá en sus esperanzas, la derecha las recordará en sus temores y odios. También se presenta la gran posibilidad de la victoria para los reformistas radicales en su lucha por lograr una reestructuración fundamental de la sociedad soviética. Todo eso haría de la Perestroika la transformación social más importante que haya experimentado el finan del siglo a nivel mundial

A DEFINIÇÃO DE CAMPONÊS: CONCEITUAÇÕES E DESCONCEITUAÇÕES – O VELHO E O NOVO EM UMA DISCUSSÃO MARXISTA

Há razões para definir “camponês” e há razões para deixar indefinida a palavra, uma figura de linguagem fora do domínio onde residem as criteriosas categorias do conhecimento. Tal decisão jamais é inconseqüente, pois este conceito, se aceito como tal, vincula-se ao próprio âmago do pensamento teórico sobre a sociedade global contemporânea e reflete-se em conclusões de imediato interesse político e analítico. O que importa são as maneiras com tais palavras são utilizadas. Sem dúvida, pode-se exagerar as preocupações com terminologias, desviando-se para um discurso fastidioso, em que longas palavras são usadas para tecer mais palavras, ainda mais longas, sem jamais retornar ao mundo dos vivos. Para evitá-lo, o pensamento dos cientistas sociais deve sempre mergulhar diretamente nas realidades e nos problemas sociais e políticos. Entretanto, de vez em quando, recomenda-se fazer um teste do conceito ou voltar às suas raízes epistemológicas. Para que, agora, o momento é propício para isso, pois por razões às quais retornaremos brevemente, a moda intelectual de “estudos camponeses” parece aproximar-se de um novo estágio e de um momento decisivo

THE PEASANTRY AS A POLITICAL FACTOR

The contemporary sociological thought neglects the traditional peasantry as »non-existed historically speaking«, what is only the consequence of the fact that peasantry does not fit well into any of our images of modern society. The author ueiines tne peasantry as the small producers on land who, with the help of simple equipment and the labour of their families, produce mainly for their own consumption, and for the fulfilment of their duties to the holders of political and economic power, and who within their village community are almost totally socially seif-suficient. This analytical definition of the peasantry is based on following moments: »The relation to the land«, »The family farm«, »The farming as an occupation«, »The village structure« and »The peasantry as a pre-industrial social entity«. In historical context the peasantry appears as a special modus o\u27 life which Indentifies a stage in the development of human society. The autiio, analyzes distinctive cultural patterns between traditional (small-produce) peasantry and the industrialising one (i. e. the farmers). Today there are existing three parallel patterns of spontaneous development of the countryside: 1) the competition of large-scale, capital intensive and mechanised agriculture which destroys the small farm; 2) the development of the peasants into a professional stratum of farmers; and 3) the, so-called, »cumulative pauperisation« of peasantry of under- -developed societies. As distinct from those spontaneous trends author remarks the factor of »state organized collectivisation of land« in USSR and the other socialist countries. It is much more difficult to define the peasantry as the segment of the society. In a contemporary society peasantry appears as a »class of low classness« which is a self-sufficient in high degree from market and social crisis situations. Its political-class consensus bear from time to time through military action. The political action and/or influence of peasantry\u27 are determined by its character as a social entity (»independent class action«, »guided political action«, the fully\u27 spontaneous amorphous political action «etc.). The author concludes with the constatation that only a combination of both conceptual and empirical research may overcome the shortcomings of our knowledge of the peasantry

RUSSIA, 1905-1907 revolution as a moment of truth: the roots of otherness Russia s turn of century volume 2/ Shanin

xvi, 364 hal,; 22 cm