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Acccording to marxism terminology, a mode of production is a particular combination of:- productive forces: the material, social and productive techniques, materials and objects of a particular epoch, and
- relations of production: the particular property form and methods of exploitation of a particular epoch.
Marx distinguishes seven major production modes:
- Primitive socialism: human society organised in traditional band structures of less than 50 people per productive unit, typified by shared production and consumption of the entire social product . As no social surplus is produced, there is no possibility of a ruling class coming into existence. As this mode of production lacks differentiation into classes, it is said to be classless. Paleolithic and neolithic tools, pre- and early-agricultural production, and rigorous ritualised social control are the typifying productive forces of this mode of production.
- The asiatic mode of production : is a controversial contribution to Marxist theory, intially used to explain pre-slave and pre-feudal large earthworks construction in China, India, the Euphrates and Nile river valleys (and named on this basis of the primary evidence coming from greater "Asia"). The asiatic mode of production is said to be the initial form of class society, where a small group extracts social surplus through violence aimed at settled or unsettled band communities within a domain. Exploited labour is extracted as forced corvee labour during slack period of the year (allowing for monumental construction such as the pyramids, ziggurats, ancient Indian communal baths or Chinese Great Wall). Exploited labour is also extracted in the form of goods directly seized from the exploited communities. The primary property form of this mode is the direct religious possession of communities (villages, bands, hamlets) and all those within them. The ruling class of this society is generally a semi-theocratic aristocracy which claims to be the incarnation of gods on earth. The forces of production associated with this society include basic agricultural techniques, massive construction and storage of goods for social benefit (grainaries).
- The slave mode of production: is much like the asiatic mode, but differentiated in that the form of property is the direct possession of individual human beings. Additionally the ruling class usually avoids the more outlandish claims of being the direct incarnation of a god, and prefers to be the decendents of gods, or seeks other justifications for its rule. Ancient Greek and Roman societies are the most typical examples of this mode. The forces of production associated with this mode include advanced (two field) agriculture, the extensive use of animals in agriculture, and advanced trade networks.
- The feudal mode of production: is usually typified by high feudalism in Western Europe. The primary form of property is the possession of land in reciprical contract relations: the possession of human beings as peasants or serfs is dependent upon their being entailed upon the land. Exploitation occurs through recipricated contract (though ultimately resting on the threat of forced extractions). The ruling class is usually a nobility or aristocracy. The primary forces of production include highly complex agriculture (two, three field, lucerne fallowing and manuring) with the addition of non-human and non-animal power devices (clockwork, wind-mills) and the intensification of specialisation in the crafts--craftsmen exclusively producing one specialised class of product.
- The capitalist mode of production: is usually associated with modern industrial societies. The primary form of property is the possession of objects and services through state guarenteed contract. The primary form of exploitation is wage labour (see Das Kapital). The key forces of production include the factory system, mechanised powered production, TaylorTaylor is the name of some places in the United States of America including Taylor, Alabama Taylor, Arizona Taylor, Arkansas Taylor, Michigan Taylor, Mississippi Taylor, Nebraska Taylor, New York Taylor, Pennsylvania Taylor, Texas Taylor, Wisconsin Taylorism, robotisation, bureaucracy and the modern state .
- The socialist mode of production: is a highly debated theoretical construct. Some theorists argue that prefiguring form s of socialism can be seen in voluntary workers cooperatives, strike committees, labour unions, sovietThere are two main meanings to the word soviet Soviet (council) can mean a council of workers, a term that was used from the late Imperial Russia days. After the October Revolution, soviets (councils) became the main form of government at all levels: entes and revolutions. The socialist mode of prodcution is meant to be a society based on workers' control of all production, with a property form equating consumption with productive labour. The key forces of production are identical with capitalism, but changed in their nature due to workers control and collective management. Additionally, the merging of mental and manual labour is meant to increase the level of productivity and quality of the productive forces. The primary ruling class of this mode is meant to be the transformed working class of capitalism. The primary form of exploitation is meant to be self-exploitation.
- The communist mode of production: is a highly debated theoretical construct. Some theorists argue that prefiguring forms of communism can be seen in communes and other collective living experiments. Communism is meant to be a classless society, with the management of things replacing the management of people. Particular productive forces are not described, but are assumed to be more or less within the reach of any contemporary capitalist society. Despite the immanent potential of communism, some economic theorists like Ernest MandelErnest Mandel also known as Germain ( April 5, 1923 July 20, 1995) was a Belgian Jew recruited to the Fourth International. During World War II, he survived imprisonment in a concentration camp. After the war, he became a leader of both the Belgian Trotsk have hypothesised that communism is more than a thousand years away from full implementation.
An example of a mode of production which is lying dormant alongside capitalism, is the prefiguring form of socialism indicated by the free software movement. The enhanced productivity of the productive force of the internet for software programmingand white collar work is combined with the relation of production indicated in the property form of the GNU GPL or GNU FDL combine to produce a highly valuable form of economic production outside of the direct control of capitalism. For more, see: anarchism.
