INTRODUCTION
Brief Explanation of the Problem
A number o£ books on Economic Systems were written bydifferent authors both Indian and foreign.
Most of these
authors wrote more details on the development of Capitalism
and Socialism leaving aside other systems.
wrote
on
account
other
systems
or explanation
as well
did
not
Even those who
give
of the distinguishing
a detailed
features and
the specific causes of failure of any system yielding place
to new one.
Most writers either elaborated
or summarized
what Karl Marx put forward in his materialistic interpretation of history.
few, if any,
Engels.
Other writers did the same while devoting an entire
Karl
of
Marx
Marx's
materialistic
of
considerable
along
been able to
upon
to
attempts
have
improve
volume
the
Very
with
Frederick
interpretation
of
history.
In
which
spite
have
the
been universally
achievements
acknowledged, yet
of
Marx
there
is a
great curiousity to find out the weaknesses in his theory.
The major weakness of Marx
is his demonstrably wrong pre-
dictions of future development of Capitalism.
He failed to
realise the capitalism's ability to change and to become a
far more humane system aspired by all other socialist movements whom
he had scorned.
Capitalism
still persists in
Great
Britain, Western Europe and America
sively
reformed
without
revolution
by
although exten-
governmental
ship, taking and spending and by market controls.
also been realized
exist.
ownerIt has
that complete socialism cannot actually
Thus, in most countries a deliberate mid-way between
capitalism and socialism is adopted.
Thus, there exists no
pure
capitalistic
socialist
economy
nor
a
true
economy.
During certain period of time and in certain countries there
occurred
extreme forms of socialism
like Communism of the
Soviet economy.
Marx while writing on the development of Capitalism,
confined himself to the European world.
He did write on the
Asiatic mode of production with incomplete source of information.
He was still in the dark about the tribal economic
system
whether
in Asia
Tribal
economy
still
or
in other
persists
now
parts
of
the world.
in North-Eastern
India
which could hardly be influenced either by pure capitalistic
system or by Marx's socialistic idea.
Objectives and Scope of the Study
An attempt has therefore been made in this dissertation to trace the history of transition and to examine the
features of the different forms of the Economic Systems and
to enquire
into the causes which had led to the breakdown
and the succession of one form of Economic
other.
System by the
The essence of these different forms is not a sudden
outcome from any of the early system, but it was a gradual
transition.
In enquiring
into the causes which have led to the
succession of one system by the other, there arose a problem
as to the main reasons which have led to the changes.
There
are
these
different
changes.
opinions
given
as
an
explanation
of
One of the opinions given was that the main force
of change was the mechanical changes, i.e., the destruction
of the old tools of production and the invention of the new
techniques
of
production.
When
new
techniques
and
new
methods of production have been inherited, the old technique
no longer suits the existing economic system and this has
brought about a change.
But a very strong opinion put forward by Karl Marx was
the Historical Materialism by which he explained the evolution of the modes of production.
Karl Marx
distinguished
various economic systems through his concept of the mode of
production.
We have, therefore, given particular treatment
to Marx.
Another objective is to fit in Marx's concept of the
mode of production
India
which
in the tribal economy of North-Eastern
continues
to
remain
uninfluenced
either
by
capitalism or by the socialist movement of the western type.
To begin
the course of our enquiry, the concept
of
an
all
the
Economic System has also been defined and elaborated.
Methodology and Collection of Materials
Since
our
attempt
is
to make
a survey
of
different forms of the Economic systems, the methodology has
been both deductive and inductive through extensive reading
of
books
written
foreign scholars.
the project.
on
economic
systems
both by
Indian and
Extensive library work was undertaken in
Hence, our source of information both primary
and secondary was mainly obtained from the libraries.
Significance of the Study
The
study
would
reveal
ficance of the tribal economy
a clear
picture
vis-a-vis
the
and
signi-
different
economic systems that developed in other parts of the world
including
India.
The work would
certainly
contribute
to
knowledge and make another addition to descriptive economic
literature.
Chapterization
The dissertation has been divided into the following
chapters :
In Chapter
concept
of
an
I we have made an attempt
economic
system
as
distinct
to define the
from
a social
system in general.
In other words, we have been making an
attempt
the
system.
to identify
elements
in
a purely economic
Thereafter, we look at the different aspects of the
Marxian analysis of an economic system and take into consideration the forces and relations of production which constitute the mode of production.
Chapter
II
to Chapter
IV give
us
the
economic systems so far known in the world.
we
deal
with
the
three
different
different
In chapter II
pre-capitalist
formations; namely, (1) the Primitive Mode
of
economic
Production,
(2) the Slave Mode of Production, (3) the Feudalistic Mode
of Production and (4) the Asiatic Mode of Production along
with the Tribal Economy of North-East India.
is devoted
to these different
attempt
see
to
whether
a
systems.
tribal
A section each
We have made an
economic
system
can
be
fitted in any of these economic formations.
Chapter
III
concentrates
on
the
capitalist
mode of
production culminating in the emergence of Imperialism.
The
first part of the chapter discusses the capitalist mode of
production while the second part deals with Imperialism.
Chapter IV writes on the socialistic economic system.
We have made an attempt in this chapter to trace the origin
of the socialist idea leading either to a moderate type of
the economic system or communism.
The concluding chapter summarises
the major findings
of the study and makes the conclusion thereof.