Civilisation and the Globalisation of Capitalism

Lane D.,

Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK, dsl10@cam.ac.uk

DOI: 10.17976/jpps/2021.04.06

Rubric: Theme of the Issue: Reflections on Civilizations, Multipolarity, and World Order

For citation:

Lane D. Civilisation and the Globalisation of Capitalism. – Polis. Political Studies. 2021. No. 4. https://doi.org/10.17976/jpps/2021.04.06

Abstract

The paper addresses the rise of civilisations through economic complexes. Four economic bases to an urban-industrial civilisation are discussed: market society, industrialism, capitalism and socialism. The assumptions of ‘classic liberalism’ are shown to have affinities with ‘classic Marxism’: secularism, rationalism, humanism and freedom. Both schools of thought envisaged the Enlightenment as a movement leading to a universal civilisation. Theories of ‘industrial society’ are postulated as creating a modern civilization which takes a global form. In this context, the economic basis of a universal civilisation is confronted by alternative forms of capitalism. Liberal and socialist forms of industrial and post-industrial societies claim to be separate forms of civilisation. The paper maintains that conflicts between different ‘varieties of capitalism’ do not constitute ‘clashes between civilisations’ but represent divergent geo-political interests. It is contended that the state socialist societies presented a different civilisational type of industrial society.

Keywords

civilisation, capitalism, culture and civilisation, Marxism, Polanyi, Wallerstein, socialism, China.

Full Text

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