Petty commodity production
Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: Petty commodity production (PCP) is a key reality of contemporary capitalism. Deceptively simple, it is shrouded in synonyms, debates and neglect. This essay covers its definitions and roles in agrarian change. Four aspects relevant to critical agrarian studies are introduced: its gendering, persistence, ‘unviability' and roles in the wider economy. Three debates are summarised: PCP versus peasants, exploitation versus conflict over appropriated surplus, simple reproduction and PCP expansion. Last, PCPs’ relations to the state and PCP politics are reviewed with material mostly drawn from South Asia. PCP remains a form of contemporary capitalism that must not be ignored either analytically or politically.
Source: The Journal of Peasant Studies
Author: Barbara Harriss-White
Institution: University of Oxford
Language: English
Subfield: Development
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4308344038