But this is still
in the future.
Forward to the Past
Capitalism in Post-Communist Europe
By: Dr. Sam Vaknin
The core countries of Central Europe (the Czech Republic, Hungary and,
to a lesser extent, Poland) experienced industrial capitalism in the
inter-war period. But the countries comprising the vast expanses of the
New Independent States, Russia and the Balkan had no real acquaintance
with it. To them its zealous introduction is nothing but another
ideological experiment and not a very rewarding one at that.
It is often said that there is no precedent to the extant fortean
transition from totalitarian communism to liberal capitalism. This
might well be true. Yet, nascent capitalism is not without historical
example. The study of the birth of capitalism in feudal Europe may yet
lead to some surprising and potentially useful insights.
The Barbarian conquest of the teetering Roman Empire (410-476 AD)
heralded five centuries of existential insecurity and mayhem. Feudalism
was the countryside's reaction to this damnation. It was a Hobson's
choice and an explicit trade-off. Local lords defended their vassals
against nomad intrusions in return for perpetual service bordering on
slavery. A small percentage of the population lived on trade behind the
massive walls of Medieval cities.
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