In my picture of the Later Empire there is much less emphasis than usual upon a supposed change from ‘Principate’ to ‘Dominate’; far more important, for me, is a major intensification of the forms of exploitation: the reduction to serfdom of most of the working agricultural population, a great increase in taxation, and more conscription. I give a... See more

I have something to say about the use of the terms ‘feudalism' and ‘serfdom’, insisting that serfdom (as defined in Ill.iv) can exist quite in¬ dependently of anything that can properly be called ‘feudalism’, and ending with a few words on the Marxist concept of the ‘feudal mode of production’

(9) The revolutionary transformation of society has industrial production as ground and lever. This is why it had to be shown that the urban centre of decision-making can no longer consider itself in the present society (of neo-capitalism or of monopoly capilaism associated to the State), outside the means of production, their property and their... See more

the merciless exploitation of the great majority for the benefit of a very few finally led to the collapse of much of the empire — a process too often described as if it were something that just happened’ naturally, whereas in fact it was due to the deliberate actions of a ruling class that monopolised both wealth and political power and governed... See more