Dictionnaire de la Science Politique

Authors: Hermet, Badie, Birnbaum & Braud
Summary: In about 150 words, this entry defines the concept, briefly delineates its historical origins, and concludes by analysing the Marx's idea of capitalism.
The Marxist concept of capitalism delineates a social system characterized by the private property of economic means of production and of market's rules to regulate economic relationships. Historically, capitalism - based on the salaried work - succeeds to the feudal period of production, based on the servitude. The latter mode of production succeeded to the ancient period of slavery. The increasing concentration of capitals, the increasing poorness of proletarian class, and the decreasing of the rate of profit will lead the world - in Marx's opinion - to make a choice: the socialism and the collective property of means of production, the abolition of social classes and of state on one side, and the barbarism on the other side. History showed that Marx was not right.