Europe and the People Without History
Encyclopedia
Europe and the People Without History is a book by anthropologist
Eric Wolf
. First published in 1982, it focuses on the expansion of Europe
an societies
in the Modern Era. It argues that this expansion affected both the societies that Europeans encountered in their expansion and European societies themselves. It asserts that non-European peoples were active participants in the progress of history, rather than static, unchanging cultures. The assumption that these 'others' are from unchanging cultures, and are left out of Eurocentric historical narratives is why they are referred to as 'people without history'. The "People Without History" also refers people whose cultures lack a formally-written histories, hindering their inclusion in 'Western' historical narratives.
This book discusses three of the modes of production:
The issue of modes of production was first addressed by Marx. However Marx was mostly concerned with the Capitalist mode of production
.
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
Eric Wolf
Eric Wolf
Eric Robert Wolf was an anthropologist, best known for his studies of peasants, Latin America, and his advocacy of Marxian perspectives within anthropology.-Early life:...
. First published in 1982, it focuses on the expansion of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an societies
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
in the Modern Era. It argues that this expansion affected both the societies that Europeans encountered in their expansion and European societies themselves. It asserts that non-European peoples were active participants in the progress of history, rather than static, unchanging cultures. The assumption that these 'others' are from unchanging cultures, and are left out of Eurocentric historical narratives is why they are referred to as 'people without history'. The "People Without History" also refers people whose cultures lack a formally-written histories, hindering their inclusion in 'Western' historical narratives.
This book discusses three of the modes of production:
- Kin-ordered
- Tributary
- Capitalist.
The issue of modes of production was first addressed by Marx. However Marx was mostly concerned with the Capitalist mode of production
Capitalist mode of production
In Marx's critique of political economy, the capitalist mode of production is the production system of capitalist societies, which began in Europe in the 16th century, grew rapidly in Western Europe from the end of the 18th century, and later extended to most of the world...
.