Isabella Carter
The American Constitution has been interpreted as creating the foundations of a state that serves capitalist interests. Historians have debated the role of the state in the rise of capitalism and the extent to which the framers of the Constitution were building a capitalistic form of governance. While some capitalist relations existed in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the United States in 1787 was still in a long transition phase towards capitalism, with a variety of intersecting modes of production, including independent production and wage labor. The Constitution, therefore, reflects a society transiting to capitalism and sets the stage for the development of a capitalist society in America.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| The U.S. Constitution created the foundations of a state that serves capitalist interests | |
| The U.S. Constitution provided space for social relations of production not yet fully subordinated to the power of capitalism to coexist | |
| The U.S. after the American Revolution was not entirely capitalist | |
| Intersecting modes of production existed in 1787 | Yeoman farm families, coastal merchants, speculators, and more |
| The U.S. in the late 1700s was a "society with capitalism" | |
| The transition from rural independent production to petty commodity production was in motion in the North |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution and its foundations
The US Constitution, first conceived in 1787, laid the foundations for a state that would ultimately serve capitalist interests. However, it is important to note that the United States in the late 1700s was not a fully capitalist society, but rather a society with some capitalist characteristics. The country was in a long transition phase, with a variety of intersecting modes of production. For example, in the North, artisans often owned their tools and workshops, while Yeoman farm families owned land and produced for domestic needs and trade. Coastal merchants, land speculators, and those involved in government securities and private debt can be classified as capitalist.
The Constitution's role in creating a capitalist society can be examined through the lens of the historical materialist perspective, which considers the relations between class, capitalism, and the state. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 occurred during this transition period, and the framers were building a form of governance that accommodated these different modes of production. The US Constitution, therefore, reflected the complex economic landscape of the time, with the presence of both capitalist and non-capitalist elements.
The development of capitalism in the United States was influenced by various factors, including geography. Regions closer to waterways, merchants, and markets tended to engage more extensively in market activities. The American countryside, in particular, demonstrated the diverse paths to capitalist development, as described by Clark. The transition from rural independent production to petty commodity production was underway in the North, along with the incorporation of wage labor in the artisan system.
The Constitution's impact on creating a capitalist society also extended to the institution of slavery. Profit-driven plantation slavery was a form of capitalist relation that existed within the white-settler colony during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The Constitution, in serving the interests of capitalist slave owners, further entrenched this economic system. However, it is important to acknowledge that the Constitution also provided space for social relations of production that were not yet fully subordinated to capitalism.
In summary, the US Constitution laid the groundwork for a state that advanced capitalist interests. However, the country's economic landscape during the Constitution's formation was diverse and in transition. The Constitution reflected this complexity, shaping a society that gradually evolved towards capitalism while also accommodating non-capitalist elements.
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The role of the state in the rise of capitalism
In the context of the United States, the transition to capitalism was a gradual process that spanned over centuries. Following the American Revolution, the newly formed United States exhibited a mix of economic systems, including independent production, petty commodity production, and various modes of articulating production. While capitalism existed alongside these other systems, the state played a pivotal role in fostering the conditions for capitalism to flourish.
The United States Constitution, drafted in 1787, laid the foundations for a state that would support and promote capitalist interests. The Constitutional Convention, attended by elite individuals, aimed to establish a government that could balance competing political and economic interests while accommodating the emerging market forces. This period marked a transition towards a more capitalistic society, with the state as a key facilitator.
The specific mechanisms through which the state influenced the rise of capitalism included the protection and promotion of private property rights, the creation of favourable market conditions, and the development of legal and institutional frameworks that supported capitalist endeavours. For example, the state may have enacted policies that encouraged wage labour, facilitated trade, and provided a stable environment for businesses to operate. Additionally, the state's role in the enforcement of contracts, the standardization of weights and measures, and the establishment of a sound monetary system further contributed to the advancement of capitalism.
Moreover, the state's involvement in economic activities and its influence over certain sectors can also be considered. In some cases, the state may have directly undertaken commercial endeavours, such as through state-owned enterprises or the nationalization of certain industries. This participation in the market economy could have further reinforced the capitalist system and modelled the role of the state as an economic actor.
In conclusion, the role of the state in the rise of capitalism is multifaceted and evolves over time. The state shapes the economic landscape, influences social relations, and interacts with market forces in ways that may promote or hinder the development of capitalism. The American experience demonstrates a gradual transition towards capitalism, with the state playing a pivotal role in creating the conditions necessary for its emergence and growth.
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The transition to capitalism
In the late 1700s, the United States economy featured a mix of intersecting modes of production. For example, in the North, artisans often owned their tools and workshops, while Yeoman farm families owned land and produced for domestic needs and trade. Coastal merchants, land speculators, and those involved in government securities and private debt ownership could be considered capitalist.
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 played a significant role in the context of the United States' transition to capitalism. The convention occurred during this transitional phase, and the resulting Constitution laid the foundations for a state that would serve capitalist interests. It provided space for social relations of production that were not yet fully subordinated to capitalism, indicating a society in the process of embracing capitalist principles.
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Capitalism and slavery
The relationship between capitalism and slavery is a topic that has sparked much scholarly debate, particularly in relation to the creation of the U.S. Constitution. The book 'Capitalism and Slavery' by Eric Williams, published in 1944, is a seminal work that ignited this discussion and continues to be a reference point for historians today. Williams argued that the profits from slavery helped finance the Industrial Revolution, with European elites accumulating vast surplus capital from slavery that was then used to fuel industrialization. This perspective has been supported by historians who point to the economic development of the American colonies and the British Empire more broadly. The slave trade and the cultivation of cash crops like cotton in the American South created a significant source of wealth for both Southern and Northern elites, contributing to the development of a capitalist economy.
However, some critics have questioned the applicability of Williams' arguments, particularly in the context of the American Revolutionary War. While slavery undoubtedly played a significant role in the economic development of the colonies, the transition to capitalism in the United States was more complex and gradual. In the late 1700s, the United States could be described as a ""society with capitalism"" rather than a fully capitalist society. Various modes of production coexisted, with artisans, yeoman farmers, coastal merchants, and speculators representing different forms of economic organization.
The U.S. Constitution, as argued by some scholars, created the foundations of a state that would serve capitalist interests, including those of capitalist slave owners. However, it also provided space for social relations of production that were not yet fully subordinated to capitalism. The specific relationship between slavery and capitalism in the United States is a matter of ongoing debate, with scholars discussing the extent to which slavery can be considered a purely capitalist institution and how it intersected with other modes of production.
Slavery, as a system of forced labor, was undeniably a source of immense wealth for those who benefited from it. The large-scale cultivation of cotton, for example, relied on the labor of enslaved people and hastened the invention of the factory, an institution central to the Industrial Revolution. As Sven Beckert and Seth Rockman write, "American slavery is necessarily imprinted on the DNA of American capitalism". However, the decline of slavery in the early nineteenth century with the rise of industrial capitalism and antislavery sentiments also demonstrates the complex and evolving relationship between these two systems.
In conclusion, the relationship between capitalism and slavery is complex and multifaceted. While slavery played a significant role in the economic development of the American colonies and the rise of capitalism, it existed alongside other modes of production and was not the sole driving force behind the creation of a capitalist society. The specific interactions and intersections between these two systems continue to be a subject of scholarly inquiry, with ongoing debates about the nature and extent of their relationship.
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Capitalism in the North
In the late 1700s, the United States was a "society with capitalism" rather than a fully capitalist society. Capitalism in the North was characterised by a mix of modes of production. For example, artisans often owned their tools and workshops, and yeoman farmers owned land and produced goods for both domestic use and trade. Coastal merchants, land speculators, and those who purchased government securities and owned private debt can be classified as capitalist.
The North was in a transition from rural independent production to petty commodity production, and the artisan-journeyman-apprentice system was gradually incorporating wage labour. This transition was shaped by geography, with those closer to waterways, merchants, and markets participating more in market activities.
The United States Constitution, created in 1787, laid the foundations for a state that would serve capitalist interests, including those of capitalist slave owners. However, it also provided space for social relations of production not yet fully subordinated to capitalism to coexist. This reflects the understanding that the United States in the 1780s was still in a long transition phase towards capitalism, and the Constitutional Convention of 1787 occurred during this transition.
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Frequently asked questions
Capitalism existed in the US before the Constitution through profit-driven plantation slavery, a Northeastern fishing industry that exploited workers, mining that used wage labour, and more.
In 1787, the US was a "society with capitalism" with intersecting modes of production. Some artisans and yeoman farmers owned their tools, land, and means of production. Coastal merchants, land speculators, and those who purchased government securities were also classified as capitalist.
The US Constitution created the foundations of a state that would serve capitalist interests, including capitalist slave owners. However, it also provided space for social relations of production not yet fully subordinated to capitalism to coexist.
The role of the state in the rise of capitalism in the US is a subject of debate. Some scholars argue that the state power is "autonomous" from capitalist relations, while others argue that the state actively promoted and facilitated the development of capitalism.
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 occurred during a transition to capitalism in the US. The framers of the Constitution were building a capitalistic form of governance, but the country was not entirely capitalist at the time. The Constitution laid the groundwork for a state that would support capitalist interests.
