robinson crusoe and the secret of primitive accumulation

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inson Crusoe and the Secret of Primitive Accumulation http://monthlyreview.org/2011/09/01/robinson-crusoe-and-the-secret-o...

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ther captal by b"yn! other peoples labor po#er8 on the other hand, %ree laborers

"nenc"mbered by pre7captalst obl!atons or personal property& Once captalsm s on ts le!s,

t mantans ths separaton and reprod"ces t on a contn"o"sly e6pandn! scale& "t a pror

sta!e s needed to clear the #ay %or the captalst system and !et t started-a perod o%

prmt$e acc"m"laton&

*n the last part o%


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Robnson arr$es n ra9l #here he p"rchases 3as m"ch land that #as "nc"red as my money

#o"ld reach, and %ormed a plan %or my plantaton and settlement, and s"ch a one as m!ht be

s"table to the stoc #hch * proposed to mysel% to rece$e %rom En!land& .e soon %nds 3more

than be%ore, * had done #ron! n partn! #th my boy G"ry, %or he needed help and %o"nd

there #as 3no #or to be done, b"t by the labor o% my hands&

.e sends a letter to the #do# n En!land thro"!h hs +ort"!"ese captan %rend nstr"ctn!

that hal% o% hs 200 be sent to hm n the %orm o% merchandse& The captan taes the letter to

/sbon #here he !$es t to some /ondon merchants #ho relay t to /ondon& The #do# !$es

the money to a /ondon merchant #ho, 3$estn! ths h"ndred po"nds n En!lsh !oods, s"ch asthe captan had #rt %or, sent them drectly to hm at /sbon, and he bro"!ht them all sa%e to

me to ra9l8 amon! #hch, #tho"t my drecton (%or * #as too yo"n! n my b"sness to thn o%

them), he had taen care to ha$e all sorts o% tools, ron#or, and "tensls necessary %or my

plantaton, and #hch #ere o% !reat "se to me&

The car!o arr$es, brn!n! !reat %ort"ne to Robnson& The +ort"!"ese captan had "sed the 5

the #do# had !$en hm %or a present to p"rchase and brn! to Robnson, 3a ser$ant "nder

bond %or s6 years ser$ce, and #o"ld not accept o% any consderaton, e6cept a lttle tobacco

#hch * #o"ld ha$e hm accept, ben! o% my o#n prod"ce& 'oreo$er, he s able to sell the

En!lsh !oods n ra9l 3to a $ery !reat ad$anta!e and the %rst thn! he does s to b"y a Fe!ro

sla$e and a second ndent"red ser$ant&

Ths seres o% transactons pres"pposes an elaborate socal net#or o% captalst

ntercomm"ncatons& The mythcal Robnson s pct"red as a sel%7s"%%cent nd$d"al, b"t

m"ch o% the act"al story, e$en a%ter he s shp#reced, sho#s hm as a dependent man

belon!n! to a lar!er #hole and al#ays relyn! on help and cooperaton %rom others& The socal

nat"re o% prod"cton t"rns o"t to be the real messa!e o% hs story as #e shall see a!an and

a!an& There s no real parado6 n ths& To captalsm belon! both the prod"cton o% the most

h!hly de$eloped socal relatons n hstory and the prod"cton o% the soltary nd$d"al&

Robnson no# nte!rates hmsel% nto the comm"nty as a s"ccess%"l planter and acc"m"lates

steadly& "t he cannot be content and soon lea$es 3the happy $e# * had o% ben! a rch and

thr$n! man n my ne# plantaton, only to p"rs"e a rash and mmoderate desre o% rsn! %aster

than the nat"re o% the thn! admtted&

The plantatons n ra9l #ere short o% labor, %or 3%e# Fe!roes #ere bro"!ht, and those

e6cess$e dear snce the sla$e trade at that tme #as not %ar de$eloped and #as controlled by

royal monopoles o% the n!s o% pan and +ort"!al& Robnson had told some %rends abo"t hs

t#o $oya!es to the "nea oast and the ease o% p"rchasn! there 3%or tr%les not only !old

d"st b"t Fe!roes n !reat n"mbers& (F&& that the tr%les lsted are beads, toys, n$es,

scssors, hatchets, bts o% !lass, and the le-all b"t the %rst t#o are by no means tr%les, as

Robnson #o"ld soon %nd o"t&) These %rends approached hm n secrecy #th a plan %or

o"t%ttn! a shp to !et sla$es %rom the "nea oast #ho #o"ld then be sm"!!led nto ra9l

pr$ately and dstrb"ted amon! ther o#n plantatons& They ased Robnson to !o as

3s"percar!o n the shp to mana!e the tradn! part and o%%ered LhmM an e"al share o% the

Fe!roes #tho"t pro$dn! any part o% the stoc&

Robnson accepts, and t s on ths $oya!e that hs %amo"s shp#rec occ"rs& Iears later, n thedepths o% solaton, he had ca"se to re!ret ths decson #hch he $e#s n terms o% hs or!nal

sn o% 3not ben! sats%ed #th the staton #heren od and nat"re hath placed LhmMH

What b"sness had * to lea$e a settled %ort"ne, a #ell7stoced plantaton, mpro$n! and

ncreasn!, to t"rn s"percar!o to "nea, to %etch Fe!roes, #hen patence and tme

#o"ld ha$e so ncreased o"r stoc at home that #e co"ld ha$e bo"!ht them %rom those

#hose b"sness t #as to %etch themN ?nd tho"!h t had cost "s somethn! more, yet the

d%%erence o% that prce #as by no means #orth sa$n! at so !reat a ha9ard&

*n %act he comes o"t ahead %or by the end o% the story Robnson has s"cceeded n acc"m"latn!

m"ch %aster than % he had remaned content, %or he adds a ne# %ort"ne %rom hs sland

economy to the !ro#th o% hs plantaton& Tr"e, he m"st s"%%er a lon! perod o% solaton, b"t n

many #ays hs soltary soo"rn represents the alenaton s"%%ered by all "nder captalsm-those

#ho #or and rece$e lttle as #ell as those le Robnson #ho acc"m"late and al#ays m"st o

on, o on&

(2) *sland Economy: The +re7Trade t"aton


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The ey %actors n Robnson r"soes s"r$$al and prosperty on hs sland n the s"n are not hs

n!en"ty and reso"rce%"lness b"t the pleasant clmate and the lar!e store o% emboded labor

he starts o"t #th& *n thrteen trps to hs #reced shp he #as able to %"rnsh hmsel% #th

many thn!s, tan! a $ast array o% materals and tools he ne$er made b"t #ere stll hs to

enoy& These he "ses to !an command o$er nat"re and o$er other men& O% che% mportance n

hs ntal stoc o% means o% prod"cton s a plent%"l s"pply o% !"ns and amm"nton, #hch !$e

hm decs$e ad$anta!e n settn! the terms o% trade #hen hs sland economy s %nally opened

"p to trade&

Robnson hmsel% s %"lly a#are o% the mportance o% hs herta!e (see table 1)& 3What sho"ld *ha$e done #tho"t a !"n, #tho"t amm"nton, #tho"t any tools to mae anythn! or #or

#th, #tho"t clothes, beddn!, a tent, or any manner o% co$ern!sN he ass& ?nd 3by man!

the most ratonal "d!ment o% thn!s e$ery man may be n tme master o% e$ery mechanc art& *

had ne$er handled a tool n my l%e, and yet n tme, by labor, applcaton, and contr$ance, *

#anted nothn! b"t * co"ld ha$e made t, especially if ( had had the tools (emphass added)&? E"ropean s a E"ropean and t s only "nder certan condtons that he becomes a master& *t

#as not ther personal attrb"tes that !a$e Robnson and other E"ropean ad$ent"rers ther

stren!th $s7P7$s non7E"ropeans b"t the e"pment they bro"!ht #th them, the po#er o%

no#led!e made nto obects& Ths materal base #as the res"lt o% a complcated socal

d$son o% labor o% #hch they #ere the bene%cares not the creators&

Defenseammunition, arms, powder, two barrels musket bullets, five to seven muskets,

large bag full of small shot

Foodbiscuits, rum, bread, rice, cheese, goat flesh, corn, liquor, flour, cordials,

sweetmeats, poultry feed, wheat and rice seed

Clothing mens clothes, handkerchiefs, colored neckties, two pairs of shoes

Furniture and

Miscellaneous

hammock, bedding, pens, ink, paper, three or four compasses, some

mathematical instruments, dials, perspectives, charts, books on navigation, three

Bibles

Tools

carpenters chest, 203 bags full of nails and spikes, a great screwjack, one or

two dozen hatchets, grindstone, two saws, axe, hammer, two or three iron crows,two or three razors, one large scissors, fire shovel and tongs, two brass kettles,

copper pots, gridiron

Raw materialsrigging, sails for canvas, small ropes, ropes and wire, ironwork, timber, boards,

planks, two or three hundredweight of iron, one hundredweight of sheet lead

Animals dog, two cats

Things he

misses badlyink, spade, shovel, needles, pins, thread, smoking pipe

.s sland s a rch one, a!an thans n part to the act$tes o% other people& .e s"r$eys t #th

lttle "nderstandn! snce most o% the plants #ere "n%amlar to hm& .e maes no ndependent

dsco$ery b"t %nds certan %amlar tems-!oats, t"rtles, %r"ts, lemons, oran!es, tobacco,!rapes-many o% #hch * ma!ne co"ld not ha$e !otten there e6cept % transplanted by

pre$o"s $stors %rom other slands& .s o#n dsco$ery o% a!rc"lt"re s accdental& ?mon! the

thn!s he resc"ed %rom the shp #as a lttle ba! #hch had once been %lled #th corn& Robnson

seen! nothn! n the ba! b"t h"ss and d"st, and needn! t %or some other p"rpose, shoo the

h"ss o"t on the !ro"nd& ? month or so later, not e$en remembern! he had thro#n them

there, he #as 3per%ectly astonshed to %nd barley !ro#n!&

ondtoned by captalst tradton, r"soe tres to eep acco"nt o% hs act$tes and 3#hle my

n lasted, * ept thn!s $ery e6act8 b"t a%ter that #as !one, * co"ld not, %or * co"ld not mae

any n by any means * co"ld de$se& .e dra#s "p a cost7bene%t analyss o% hs poston,

statn! n t 3$ery mpartally le debtor and credtor, the com%orts * enoyed, a!anst the

mseres * s"%%ered& .e %nds hs day d$ded nto three& *t too hm only abo"t three ho"rs

!on! o"t #th hs !"n, to !et hs %ood& ?nother porton o% hs day #as spent n ordern!,c"rn!, preser$n!, and coon!& ? thrd porton #as spent on captal %ormaton, plantn! barley

and rce, c"rn! rasns, b"ldn! %"rnt"re and a canoe, and so %orth&

Ths passon %or acco"ntn! m!ht seem to con%rm the economsts pct"re o% Robnson as the


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ratonal man par e6cellence, allocatn! hs tme e%%cently amon! $aro"s act$tes n order to

ma6m9e "tlty& "t then comes ths astonshn! obser$aton, 3"t my tme or labor #as lttle

#orth, and so t #as as #ell employed one #ay as anotherQ ontrary to the "s"al models o%

economc theory, Robnson r"soe, prod"cn! only %or "se and not %or e6chan!e, %nds that

there s no scarcty and that labor has no $al"e& The dr$n! %orce o% captalsm, the passon %or

acc"m"laton $anshed #hen he #as alone& 3?ll * co"ld mae "se o% #as all that #as

$al"ableH&The most co$eto"s, !rpn! mser n the #orld #o"ld ha$e been c"red o% the $ce o%

co$eto"sness, % he had been n my case&

Robnsons o#n e6planaton o% ths phenomenon s manly n terms o% demand& eca"se he salone, hs #ants are lmted and satated be%ore he e6ha"sts hs a$alable labor tme:

* #as remo$ed %rom all the #cedness o% the #orld here& * had nether the l"st o% the

%lesh, the l"st o% the eye or the prde o% l%e& * had nothn! to co$et8 %or * had all that *

#as no# capable o% enoyn!& * #as lord o% the #hole manor8 or % * pleased, * m!ht call

mysel% n!, or emperor o$er the #hole co"ntry #hch * had possesson o%& There #ere no

r$als& * had no compettorH&

Ths s tr"e as %ar as t !oes, b"t t s one7sded& Robnsons !reed #ent a#ay beca"se there

#ere no people to or!an9e and master& 'ar6s proposton #as that s"rpl"s labor #as the sole

meas"re and so"rce o% captalst #ealth& Wtho"t someone elses labor to control, the

captalsts $al"e system $anshed8 no bo"ndless thrst %or s"rpl"s labor arose %rom the nat"re

o% prod"cton tsel%8 the !oals o% e%%cency, ma6m9aton, and acc"m"laton %aded nto a

#der system o% $al"es&

/ater, #hen Robnsons sland becomes pop"lated, the passon to or!an9e and acc"m"late

ret"rns& *t s only #hen he has no labor b"t hs o#n to control that labor s not scarce and he

ceases to meas"re thn!s n terms o% labor tme& ?s Robnsons re%erence to the mser sho#s, t

s not merely a "eston o% the demand %or cons"mpton !oods& The mser acc"m"lates not %or

cons"mpton b"t %or acc"m"laton, "st as the p"rpose%"l man n the captalst era, as eynes

noted, 3does not lo$e hs cat, b"t hs cats ttens8 nor, n tr"th, the ttens, b"t only the

ttens ttens, and so on %or#ard %ore$er to the end o% cat7dom& or hm am s not am

"nless t s a case o% am tomorro# and ne$er am today& 'oney and captal are socal

relatons representn! socal po#er o$er others& Re!ardless o% #hat !oes on n the mnds o%

msers and captalsts #hen they loo at ther stoc, t s po#er o$er people that they are

acco"ntn! and acc"m"latn!, as they #o"ld soon %nd o"t % they, le Robnson, #ere le%t

alone&

Robnson s partally a#are o% ths #hen he medtates on the "selessness o% !old on hs sland:

* smled to mysel% at the s!ht o% ths money& 3O dr"!Q sad * alo"d, 3#hat are tho"

!ood %orN Tho" art not #orth to me, no not the tan! o%% o% the !ro"nd, one o% those

n$es s #orth all ths heap8 * ha$e no manner o% "se %or thee8 een reman #here tho"

art, and !o to the bottom as a creat"re #hose l%e s not #orth sa$n!& .o#e$er, "pon

second tho"!hts, * too t a#ayH&

.e th"s ne!ates the 'ercantlst system #hch made a %etsh o"t o% !old, b"t does not %"lly

perce the $el o% money, to "nco$er the "nderlyn! bass o% s"rpl"s labor-does not n hstheores, that s8 n hs daly practce he s %"lly a#are o% the real bass o% the economy& Ths

sho#s "p #hen he dsc"sses the concept o% reed& *n Robnsons eyes, hs or!nal sn s the

crme o% #antn! to rse abo$e hs staton nstead o% %ollo#n! the calln! chosen %or hm by hs

%ather& *solaton and estran!ement are hs p"nshment, and he %eels that hs story sho"ld teach

content to those 3#ho cannot enoy com%ortably #hat od has !$en them& .e %eels !"lty %or

$olatn! the %e"dal nstt"tons o% stat"s, patrarchy, and od& .e does not consder that #hen

he acc"m"lates, he $olates those #hom he e6plots-G"ry, the ?%rcans he sold nto sla$ery,

hs ndent"red ser$ants, and soon rday and others& rom the deolo!cal pont o% $e#,

Robnson s a transtonal man loon! bac#ard and "p#ard nstead o% %or#ard and do#n#ard&

Ths s #hy he learns nothn! (morally spean!) %rom hs lonelness& The mser s not n %act

c"red, the $ce o% co$eto"sness easly ret"rns&

nce the relatonshp o% trade, acc"m"laton, and e6plotaton s so cr"cal to "nderstandn!

economcs, #e m!ht d#ell on t a lttle lon!er& The ar!"ment can be traced bac to ?rstotle,

#ho %elt that a sel%7s"%%cent comm"nty #o"ld not be dr$en by scarcty and acc"m"laton,

snce nat"ral #ants #ere lmted and co"ld easly be sats%ed #th plenty o% tme le%t o$er %or

les"re& "ch a comm"nty #o"ld practce the art o% ho"seholdn! #hch has "se $al"e as ts

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end& "t ?rstotle, an eye#tness to the !ro#th o% the maret at ts $ery %rst appearance,

noted that there #as another art o% #ealth !ettn!-commercal trade-#hch had no lmt,

snce ts end #as the acc"m"laton o% e6chan!e $al"e %or ts o#n sae& ?rstotle #as more

nterested n the e%%ects o% the rse o% commerce than n ts base and dd not mae the

connecton bet#een e6chan!e $al"e and s"rpl"s labor& "t t #as there %or all to see& The

emer!ence o% the maret n ancent ?thens #as a by7prod"ct o% ts mperal e6panson, the

lootn! o% terrtores lberated %rom the +ersans, the collecton o% trb"te and ta6es %rom other

ree states %or protecton, and the %orced d$erson o% the areas trade to ?thens port&

eynes, tho"!h analytcally mprecse, !lmpsed the same pont n hs artcle on 3Fatonalel%7"%%cency #here he nstnct$ely sa# that some #thdra#al %rom nternatonal trade #as

necessary to mae the l%e made possble by scence pleasant and #orth#hle& .e #anted to

mnm9e rather than ma6m9e economc entan!lements amon! natons so that #e can be 3o"r

o#n masters and 3mae o"r %a$orte e6perments to#ard the deal socal rep"blc o% the

%"t"re& .e #as all %or a %ree e6chan!e o% deas, no#led!e, scence, hosptalty, and tra$el,

3b"t let !oods be home7sp"n #hene$er t s reasonably and commercally possble, and, abo$e

all let %nance be prmarly natonal& .e ne# that t #as not n$do"s cons"mpton that #as

the problem, b"t the desre to e6tend onesel% by penetratn! %ore!n marets #th e6ports and

n$estment, #hch n the end comes do#n to an attempt to trans%orm as m"ch as possble o%

the #orld nto onesel% and ones seed, &e&, mperalsm&

To ret"rn to Robnson r"soe& *t s mportant to note that hs solaton #as accompaned not so

m"ch by lonelness as by %ear& The %rst thn! he dd #hen he arr$ed on hs bea"t%"l arbbean

paradse #as to b"ld hmsel% a %ortress& *t #as only #hen he #as completely 3%enced and

%ort%ed %rom all the #orld that he 3slept sec"re n the n!ht& .s preca"tons d"rn! the

%rst ele$en years #hen he s completely alone are astonshn!& Iet d"rn! these years he s n

no dan!er %rom #ld anmals or any l$n! thn!& .s che% problem comes %rom brds #ho steal

hs seeds& .e deals #th them #th dspatch, shootn! a %e# and then 3* too them "p and

ser$ed them as #e ser$e notoro"s the$es n En!land, $9&, han!ed them n chans %or a terror

to others& ?nd, as #e shall see n the ne6t secton, #hen s!ns o% other h"man ben!s come to

hm, he does not r"n o"t #th oy, ready to rs e$erythn! to hear a h"man $oce a%ter so

many years n soltary con%nement& *nstead hs %ears and an6etes rse to a %ren9ed ptch, and

he %ences and %ort%es hmsel% more and more, #thdra#n! %"rther and %"rther nto solaton&

+erhaps ths s #hat one sho"ld e6pect %rom a man solated %or so lon! a perod& "t at tmes t

seems to me that De%oe, n descrbn! Robnson r"soe, #as not only taln! abo"t a man #ho

by accdent becomes solated, b"t s presentn! an alle!ory abo"t the l%e o% all men n

captalst socety-soltary, poor, "ncertan, a%rad& The solaton s more ntense n Robnsons

mnd than n hs act"al st"aton& or #hat comes o"t clearly, n enco"nter a%ter enco"nter, s

that #hene$er Robnson has to %ace another person he reacts #th %ear and s"spcon& .s

solaton, n short, s no more nor less than the alenaton o% possess$e nd$d"alsm, repeated

a mllon tmes n captalst socety, and n o"r days symbol9ed by the pr$ate c$l7de%ense

shelter protected %rom ne!hbors by a machne !"n&

(>) Openn! p o% Trade: ormn! an *mperal trate!y

The openn! "p o% hs economy to the o"tsde #orld does not come to Robnson r"soe n the

%orm o% abstract prces !enerated n anonymo"s marets b"t n the %orm o% real people #th#hom he m"st come to terms& ?%ter %%teen years on the sland, he comes "pon the prnt o% a

naed mans %oot on the shore& .s %rst reacton s %ear& .e #as 3terr%ed to the last de!ree,

loon! behnd me at e$ery t#o or three steps, mstan! e$ery b"sh and tree, and %ancyn!

e$ery st"mp at a dstance to be a man& .e !oes to hs retreat& 3Fe$er %r!htened hare %led to

co$er, or %o6 to earth, #th more terror o% mnd, than *& rom then on he l$ed 3n the

constant snare o% the %ear o% manHa l%e o% an6ety, %ear and care&

.e thns o% destroyn! hs cattle enclos"re, corn%eld, and d#elln!, 3that they m!ht not %nd

s"ch a !ran thereHand stll be prompted to loo %"rther, n order to %nd o"t the persons

nhabtn!& .e b"lds a second #all o% %ort%catons, armed #th se$en m"sets planted le a

cannon and %tted 3nto %rames that held them le a carra!e, so that * co"ld %re all the se$en

!"ns n t#o mn"tes tme& Ths #all * #as many a #eary month a7%nshn! and yet ne$er

tho"!ht mysel% sa%e tll t #as done& .e perces all the !ro"nd o"tsde hs #all #th staes or

stcs so that n %$e or s6 years tme he had 3a #ood be%ore my d#elln! !ro#n! so

monstro"s thc and stron! that t #as ndeed per%ectly mpassable8 and no men o% #hat nd

soe$er #o"ld e$er ma!ne that there #as anythn! beyond t&

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Three years a%ter he sees the %ootprnt, he comes across bones and other remans o%

cannbalsm& (We lea$e asde the hstorcal "eston o% #hether or not cannbalsm #as

practced by the arbbeans& *t s eno"!h that Robnson tho"!ht so& E"ropean readness to

bele$e other people #ere cannbals, re!ardless o% %act, plays the same role n determnn!

trade patterns as the nter7E"ropean soldarty e6hbted, %or e6ample, bet#een the

+ort"!"ese captan and Robnson&) .e #thdre# %"rther and 3ept close #thn my crcle %or

almost t#o years&

rad"ally %ear #ears o%%, and he be!ns to come o"t more& "t he proceeds ca"to"sly& .e does

not %re hs !"n, %or %ear t #o"ld be heard, and he s al#ays armed #th a !"n, t#o pstols, anda c"tlass& ?t tmes he e$en thns o% attac, and b"lds a place %rom #hch he can 3destroy

some o% these monsters n ther cr"el bloody entertanment and, % possble, sa$e the $ctm

they sho"ld brn! hther to destroy& "t then he thns, 3These people had done me no

n"ryHand there%ore t co"ld not be "st %or me to %all "pon them& .e chastses the panards

%or ther barbartes n ?merca 3#here they destroyed mllons o% these peopleHa mere

b"tchery, a bloody and "nnat"ral pece o% cr"elty, "n"st%able ether to od or man8 as %or

#hch the $ery name o% a panard s reconed to be %r!ht%"l and terrble to all people o%

h"manty or o% hrstan compasson& .e decdes t s 3not my b"sness to meddle #th them

"nless they %rst attaced me&

D"rn! the ne6t %e# years he eeps hmsel% 3more retred than e$er, seldom !on! %rom hs

cell& ear 3p"t an end to all n$enton and to all the contr$ances * had lad %or my %"t"re

accommodatons& .e #as a%rad to dr$e a nal, or chop a stc o% #ood, or %re a !"n, or l!hta %re %or %ear t #o"ld be heard or seen& .e #ants 3nothn! so m"ch as a sa%e retreat, and

%nds t n a hdden !rotto& 3* %anced mysel% no# le one o% the ancent !ants #hch #ere sad

to l$e n ca$es and holes n the rocs, #here none co"ld come at them& Iet e$en n ths deep

solaton, t s only people that he %eared& Wth some parrots, cats, ds, and tame sea%o#l as

pets, 3* be!an to be $ery #ell contented, #th the l%e * led, % t m!ht b"t ha$e been: sec"red

%rom the dread o% the sa$a!es&

*n hs t#enty7thrd year he %nally s!hts some o% the arbbeans #ho perodcally $st the

sland& .e %rst retreats to hs %ort%catons8 b"t, no lon!er 3able to bear sttn! n !norance,

he sets hmsel% "p n a sa%e place %rom #hch to obser$e 3nne naed sa$a!es sttn! ro"nd a

small %re& Tho"!hts o% 3contr$n! ho# to crc"m$ent and %all "pon them the $ery ne6t tme

come once more to hs mnd and soon he s dreamn! 3o%ten o% lln! the sa$a!es& .s

lonelness ntens%es #hen one n!ht he hears a shot %red %rom a dstressed shp and ne6t day

%nds a shp#rec& .e lon!s %or contact #th E"ropeans& 3O that there had been one or t#o,

nay, or b"t one so"l sa$ed o"t o% ths shp, to ha$e escaped to me, that * m!ht ha$e one

companon, one %ello# creat"re to ha$e spoen to me and to ha$e con$ersed #thQ

.s tho"!hts mo$e %rom de%ense to o%%ense& .s moral ms!$n!s abo"t pansh colon9aton

recede nto the bac!ro"nd, and he be!ns to %orm an mperal strate!y& The plan comes to hm

n a dream n #hch a capt"red sa$a!e escapes, r"ns to hm, and becomes hs ser$ant&

?#an!, 3* made ths concl"son, that the only #ay to !o abo"t an attempt %or an escape #as,

% possble, to !et a sa$a!e nto my possesson8 and % possble t sho"ld be one o% the

prsoners& .e has some %ears abo"t #hether he can do ths and some moral "alms abo"t

#hether he sho"ld8 b"t tho"!h 3the tho"!hts o% sheddn! h"man blood %or my del$erance

#ere terrble to me, he at len!th resol$ed 3to !et one o% those sa$a!es nto my hands, cost#hat t #o"ld&

?bo"t a year and a hal% later a !ro"p o% abo"t t#enty or thrty arbbeans come ashore& /"c s

#th hm& One prsoner escapes, %ollo#ed by only t#o men& 3*t came no# $ery #armly "pon my

tho"!hts and ndeed rresstbly, that no# #as my tme to !et me a ser$ant, and perhaps a

companon or assstant&

Robnson nocs do#n one o% the p"rs"ers and shoots a second& The resc"ed prsoner, ca"to"s

and a%rad, approaches& 3.e came nearer and nearer, neeln! do#n e$ery ten or t#el$e

stepsH&?t len!th he came close to me, and then he neeled do#n a!an, ssed the !ro"nd,

and lad hs head "pon the !ro"nd, and tan! me by the %oot, set my %oot "pon hs head8 ths,

t seems, #as n toen o% s#earn! to be my sla$e %ore$er& Robnson has hs ser$ant& ?n

economy s born&

(4) olon9aton

rday, tred %rom hs ordeal, sleeps& Robnson e$al"ates hs pr9e& The relatonshp they are


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abo"t to enter nto s an "ne"al and $olent one& (3


10/14

The poor creat"re, #ho had at a dstance ndeed seen me ll the sa$a!e, hs enemy,

b"t dd not no# or co"ld ma!ne ho# t #as done, #as sensbly s"rprsedH& .e dd not

see the d * had shot at or perce$e * had lled t, b"t rpped "p hs #astcoat to %eel %

he #as not #o"nded, and as * %o"nd presently, tho"!ht * #as resol$ed to ll hm, %or he

came and neeled do#n to me, and, embracn! my nees, sad a !reat many thn!s * dd

not "nderstand8 b"t * co"ld easly see the meann! #as to pray me not to ll hm&

*n ths rt"al death and rebrth, rday learns the %"ll e6tent o% Robnsons po#er o$er hm&

Robnson then lls $aro"s anmals, and teaches rday 3to r"n and %etch them le a do!& "t

he taes care that rday ne$er sees hm load the !"n, so that he remans !norant o% the %actthat yo" ha$e to p"t n amm"nton&

%tep 1& The %rst sta!e o% ntaton s completed, Robnson can mo$e on to establshn! thesocal d$son o% labor on a more s"btle base& .e teaches rday to coo and bae, and 3n a

lttle tme rday #as able to do all the #or %or me, as #ell as * co"ld do t %or mysel%& Then

Robnson mars o"t a pece o% land 3n #hch rday not only #ored $ery #lln!ly and $ery

hard, b"t dd t cheer%"lly& Robnson e6plans that t #as %or corn to mae more bread snce

there #ere no# t#o o% them& rday, by hmsel%, dsco$ers the la#s o% property and captalst

dstrb"ton o% ncome n %"lly myst%ed %orm& 3.e appeared $ery sensble o% that part, and let

me no# that he tho"!ht * had m"ch more labor "pon me on hs acco"nt than * had %or mysel%,

and that he #o"ld #or the harder %or me, % * #o"ld tell hm #hat to do&

%tep 2: 3raduation& Robnson no# nstr"cts rday n the no#led!e o% the tr"e od& Ths taesthree years, d"rn! #hch rday rases s"ch d%%c"lt "estons that Robnson %or a tme

#thdra#s, real9n! that one cannot #n by lo!cal ar!"ment alone, and only d$ne re$elaton

can con$nce people o% hrstanty& nally, s"ccess& 3The sa$a!e #as no# a !ood hrstan&

The t#o become more ntmate, Robnson tells rday hs story and at lon! last 3let hm nto

the mystery, %or s"ch t #as to hm, o% !"npo#der and b"llet and ta"!ht hm ho# to shoot&

Robnson !$es rday a n%e and a hatchet and sho#s hm the boat he #as plannn! to "se to

escape&

%tep 4: Eternal $oliceman& E$en a%ter !rantn! ndependence, Robnson cannot tr"st rday&The master can ne$er rest sec"re& One day, #hle #atchn! the manland %rom the top o% a hll

on the sland, Robnson obser$es

an e6traordnary sense o% pleas"re appeared on rdays %aceHand a stran!e ea!erness,

as % he had a mnd to be n hs o#n co"ntry a!an8 and ths obser$aton o% mne p"t a

!reat many tho"!hts nto me, #hch made me at %rst not so easy abo"t my ne# man

rday as * #as be%ore8 and * made no do"bt b"t that % rday co"ld !et bac to hs o#n

naton a!an, he #o"ld not only %or!et all hs rel!on, b"t all hs obl!aton to me8 and

#o"ld be %or#ard eno"!h to !$e hs co"ntrymen an acco"nt o% me, and come bac,

perhaps #th a h"ndred or t#o o% them, and mae a %east "pon me, at #hch he m!ht be

as merry as he "sed to be #th those o% hs enemes, #hen they #ere taen n #ar&

Robnson contn"o"sly p"mps rday to see % he co"ld "nco$er any cracs8 then he %eels !"lty

o$er hs s"spcon& *mperalsm no#s no peace&

(5) +artnershp and E6panded Reprod"cton

or ro"!hly ten years, bet#een the tme he %rst sa# the prnt o% a %oot n the sand "ntl he

met rday, Robnson r"soe led a l%e o% %ear, an6ety, and care d"rn! #hch tme hs

prod"ct$e act$tes #ere red"ced to a mnm"m and he scarcely dared to $ent"re o"tsde the

narro# con%nes o% hs stron!holds& When rday comes, he becomes e6pans$e a!an, teachn!,

b"ldn!, acc"m"latn!& Tho"!h no menton s made o% acco"ntn!, one can ded"ce that labor

a!an became $al"able, %or Robnson s once more p"rpose%"l, and nterested n allocaton and

e%%cency, as he orders, ca"ses, !$es rday to do one thn! or another, nstr"cts hm, sho#s

hm, !$es hm drectons, maes thn!s %amlar to hm, maes hm "nderstand, teaches hm,

lets hm see, cans hm, heartens hm, becons hm to r"n and %etch, sets hm to #or, maes

hm b"ld somethn!, etc&, etc& Thro"!h hs socal relaton #th rday, he becomes an

economc man& rday becomes labor and he becomes captal-nno$atn!, or!an9n!, and

b"ldn! an empre&

?bo"t three years a%ter rday arr$es, Robnsons t#enty7se$enth year on the sland, an

opport"nty %or enlar!ement comes& T#enty7one sa$a!es and three prsoners come ashore&

Robnson d$des the arms #th rday and they set o"t to attac& On the #ay, Robnson a!an


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has do"bts as to #hether t #as r!ht 3to !o and dp my hands n blood, to attac people #ho

had nether done or ntended me any #ron!& 3rday, he obser$es, 3m!ht "st%y t, beca"se

he #as a declared enemy, and n a state o% #ar #th those $ery partc"lar people8 and t #as

la#%"l %or hm to attac them, b"t, as he co"ld not say the same %or hmsel%, he resol$es

"nlaterally %or both o% them not to act "nless 3somethn! o%%ered that #as more a call to me

than yet * ne# o%&

The call comes #hen he dsco$ers one o% the $ctms s a #hte man and he becomes 3enra!ed

to the h!hest de!ree& ?s t t"rns o"t, the prsoner s a panard8 !$en #hat Robnson had

pre$o"sly sad abo"t pansh colonal polcy, one m!ht ha$e tho"!ht he #o"ld ha$e somedo"bts abo"t #hat #as la#%"l& "t he does not, and alon! #th rday, attacs-lln!

se$enteen and ro"tn! %o"r& (rday does most o% the lln!, n part beca"se he 3too hs am

so m"ch better than Robnson, n part beca"se Robnson #as drectn! and rday don!&) The

panard s resc"ed and they %nd another $ctm n a boat #ho t"rns o"t to be rdays %ather,

hs l%e l"cly sa$ed beca"se hs %ello# capt$e #as #hte&

Fo# they #ere %o"r& Robnson has an empre #hch he r"les %rmly and "stly #th a certan

de!ree o% permss$eness and tolerance&

'y sland #as no# peopled, and * tho"!ht mysel% $ery rch n s"bects8 and t #as a

merry re%lecton, #hch * %re"ently made, ho# le a n! * looed& rst o% all, the #hole

co"ntry #as my o#n property, so that * had an "ndo"bted r!ht o% domnon& econdly, my

people #ere per%ectly s"bected& * #as absol"te lord and la#!$er8 they all o#ed therl$es to me, and #ere ready to lay do#n ther l$es, % there had been occason o% t %or

me& *t #as remarable, too, #e had b"t three s"bects, and they #ere o% three d%%erent

rel!ons& 'y man rday #as a +rotestant, hs %ather #as a pa!an and a cannbal, and the

panard #as a +apst& .o#e$er * allo#ed lberty o% conscence thro"!ho"t my domnons&

The perod o% prmt$e acc"m"laton s o$er& Robnson no# has property& *t s not based on hs

pre$o"s labor, b"t on hs %ort"nate possesson o% arms& Tho"!h hs captal comes nto the

#orld drppn! blood %rom e$ery pore, hs o#nershp s "ndsp"ted& rday #as not a la9y rascal

spendn! hs s"bsstence and more n roto"s l$n!, yet n the end he stll has nothn! b"t

hmsel%, #hle the #ealth o% Robnson r"soe ncreases constantly altho"!h he has lon! ceased

to #or&

Wth tme, more people arr$e on hs sland& Robnson shre#dly "ses hs monopoly o% the means

o% prod"cton to mae them s"bmt to hs r"le& ?s the empre !ro#s, ts problems become

more comple6& "t Robnson s e$er reso"rce%"l n "sn! terror, rel!on, %ronter la#, and the

prncple o% dele!ated a"thorty to consoldate hs poston and prod"ce a sel%7reprod"cn!

order&

Robnson learns that there are %o"rteen more panards and +ort"!"ese stayn! #th the

arbbeans, 3#ho l$ed there at peace ndeed #th the sa$a!es& They had arms b"t no po#der

and no hope o% escape, %or they had 3nether $essel, or tools to b"ld one, or pro$sons o% any

nd& Robnson o% co"rse has the mssn! n!redents %or ther resc"e, b"t ho# can he be s"re

he #ll be pad bacN 3* %eared mostly ther treachery and ll "sa!e o% me, % * p"t my l%e n

ther hands, %or that !ratt"de #as no nherent $rt"e n the nat"re o% man8 nor dd men al#ays

s"are ther dealn!s by the obl!atons they had rece$ed so m"ch as they dd by the

ad$anta!es they e6pected&

Robnson cannot depend on the la# to !"ard hs property& *nstead he "ses rel!on& E"ropeans

do not re"re so elaborate a socal9aton proced"re as rday beca"se they ha$e come by

ed"caton, tradton, and habt to loo "pon pr$ate property as a sel%7e$dent la# o% nat"re&

The panard and rdays %ather are to !o to #here the other E"ropeans are stayn!& They

#o"ld then s!n a contract, 3that they sho"ld be absol"tely "nder my leadn!, as ther

commander and captan8 and that they sho"ld s#ear "pon the .oly acraments and the ospel

to be tr"e to me and to !o to s"ch hrstan co"ntry as that * sho"ld a!ree to, and no other8

and to be drected #holly and absol"tely by my orders& Robnson con$erts ther debt to hm

nto an obl!aton to#ards od& Th"s men are r"led by the prod"cts o% ther mnd&

The trp s postponed %or a year, #hle Robnsons captal stoc s e6panded so that there #llbe eno"!h %ood %or the ne# recr"ts& The #or process s no# more complcated beca"se o% the

ncrease n n"mbers& ? $ertcal str"ct"re separatn! operatons, coordnaton, and strate!y s

establshed on the bass o% natonalty-a sort o% m"ltnatonal corporaton n mnat"re& 3*

mared o"t se$eral trees #hch * tho"!ht %t %or o"r #or, and * set rday and hs %ather to


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c"ttn! them do#n8 and then * ca"sed the panard, to #hom * had mparted my tho"!ht on

that a%%ar, to o$ersee and drect ther #or&

When the har$est s n, the panard and rdays %ather are sent o"t to ne!otate& Whle they

are a#ay, an En!lsh shp arr$es at the sland& Robnson s %lled #th ndescrbable oy at

seen! a shp 3manned by LhsM o#n co"ntrymen, and conse"ently %rends& Iet at the same

tme, 3some secret do"bts h"n! abo"t LhmM, %or perhaps they #ere the$es and m"rderers&

Ths #e ha$e seen s a typcal reacton o% Robnson r"soe to other people8 t s a pr"dent

attrb"te n a socety o% possess$e nd$d"als #here all are the enemy o% each& )aveat

Emptor&

ome o% the cre# come ashore #th three prsoners& When the prsoners are le%t "n!"arded,

Robnson approaches them: 3* am a man, an En!lshman, and dsposed to assst yo", yo" see8 *

ha$e one ser$ant only8 #e ha$e arms and amm"nton8 tell "s %reely, can #e ser$e yo"N The

three prsoners t"rn o"t to be the captan o% the shp, hs mate, and one passen!er& The others

are m"tneers, o% #hom the captan says, 3There #ere t#o desperate $llans amon! them that

t #as scarce sa%e to sho# any mercy to8 b"t % they #ere sec"red, he bele$ed 3all the rest

#o"ld ret"rn to ther d"ty&

The char!es ben! lad, a "c decson and $erdct s reached& Robnson sdes #th a"thorty&

The captan o%%ers a !enero"s contract to Robnson: 3oth he and the shp, % reco$ered, sho"ld

be #holly drected and commanded by me n e$erythn!8 and % the shp #as not reco$ered, he

#o"ld l$e and de #th me n #hat part o% the #orld soe$er * #o"ld send hm8 and the other

t#o men the same& Robnson ass %or m"ch less: reco!nton o% hs "ndsp"ted a"thorty #hle

they are on the sland, %ree passa!e to En!land %or hmsel% and rday % the shp s reco$ered&

The men #ho bro"!ht the captan ashore are attaced& The t#o $llans are s"mmarly

e6ec"ted n the %rst ro"nd, the rest are made prsoners or allo#ed to on the captan and

Robnson& 'ore men are sent to shore %rom the shp, and are soon capt"red& One s made

prsoner, the others are told Robnson s !o$ernor o% the sland and that he #o"ld en!a!e %or

ther pardon % they helped capt"re the shp& The shp s se9ed #th only one l%e lost, that o%

the ne# captan& Robnson, stll posn! as !o$ernor, nter$e#s the %$e prsoners and hearn!

the 3%"ll acco"nt o% ther $llano"s beha$or to the captan, and ho# they had r"n a#ay #th

the shp and #ere preparn! to commt %"rther robberes, o%%ers them the choce o% ben! le%t

on the sland or ben! taen to En!land n chans to be han!ed& They choose the sland and

Robnson s so m"ch the rcher& /a# maes crmnals and crmnals mae settlers& *n a repeat o%

hs lesson to the brds, Robnson orders the captan 3to ca"se the ne# captan #ho #as lled

to be han!ed at the yardarm, that these men m!ht see hm&

On the 1@th o% December, 1=J=, t#enty7e!ht years and t#o months a%ter hs arr$al, Robnson

!oes on board the shp, tan! #th hm hs !reat !oatsn cap, hs "mbrella, one o% hs parrots,

and the money he had taen o%% the shp& .e also taes rday b"t does not #at %or the ret"rn

o% rdays %ather and the panards& *nstead he lea$es a letter %or them #th the prsoners

ben! le%t behnd, a%ter man! them 3promse to treat them n common #th themsel$es&

.e ret"rns to c$l9aton and dsco$ers captals po#er %or sel%7s"stann! !ro#th& .s tr"stees

had !$en n the acco"nt o% the prod"ce o% my part o% the plantaton to the proc"rator

%scal, #ho had approprated t, n case * ne$er came to clam t, one thrd to the n!,

and t#o thrds to the monastery o% t& ?"!"stne, to be e6pended %or the bene%t o% the

poor and %or the con$erson o% *ndans to the atholc %ath8 b"t %or that % * appeared, or

anyone %or me, to clam the nhertance, t sho"ld be restored: only that the

mpro$ements, or ann"al prod"cton, ben! dstrb"ted to chartable "ses, co"ld not be

restored&

.e #as th"s a rch man, 3master all on a s"dden o% abo"t 5,000 sterln! n money, and had an

estate, as * m!ht #ell call t, n ra9l, o% abo"t a tho"sand po"nds a year, as s"re as an estate

o% lands n En!land&

.e also had hs sland to #hch he ret"rns n 1=@4& .e learns ho# the panards had tro"ble

#th the $llans #hen they %rst ret"rned b"t e$ent"ally s"bected them, o% ther battles #th

the arbbeans, 3o% the mpro$ement they made "pon the sland tsel% and o% ho# %$e o% them

made an attempt "pon the manland, and bro"!ht a#ay ele$en men and %$e #omen prsoners,

by #hch, at my comn!, * %o"nd abo"t t#enty yo"n! chldren on the sland& Robnson brn!s

them s"pples, a carpenter, and a smth and later sent se$en #omen 3s"ch as * %o"nd proper


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%or ser$ce or %or #$es to s"ch as #o"ld tae them&

e%ore he lea$es the sland, he reor!an9es t on a so"nd bass& D$dn! t nto parts, he

reser$es to hmsel% the property o% the #hole, and !$es others s"ch parts respect$ely as they

a!reed "pon& ?s to the En!lshmen, he promsed to send them some #omen %rom En!land,

3and the %ello#s pro$ed $ery honest and dl!ent a%ter they #ere mastered and had ther

propertes set apart %or them& Wth property and the %amly %rmly establshed, the !ro"nd s

clear %or steady !ro#th&

(=) 'oral

We may stop at ths pont and consder the $ery h!h rate o% ret"rn earned by Robnson on hs

or!nal captal o% 40& .e cannot be sad to ha$e #ored $ery hard %or hs money, b"t he #as

certanly a !reat or!an9er and entreprene"r, sho#n! e6traordnary capacty to tae

ad$anta!e o% st"atons and mana!e other people& .e s"%%ered the pans o% solt"de and the

$ces o% !reed, dstr"st, and r"thlessness, b"t he ends "p #th 3#ealth all aro"nd me and

rday-3e$er pro$n! a most %ath%"l ser$ant "pon all occasons&

The alle!ory o% Robnson r"soe !$es "s better economc hstory and better economc theory

than many o% the tales told by modern economcs abo"t the natonal and nternatonal d$son

o% labor& Economcs tends to stay n the maret place and #orry abo"t prces& *t has more to

say abo"t ho# Robnsons s"!ar relates to hs clothn! than ho# he relates to rday& To

"nderstand ho# captal prod"ces and s prod"ced, #e m"st lea$e the nosy sphere o% the

maret #here e$erythn! taes place on the s"r%ace and enter nto the hdden recesses o% the

%actory and corporaton, #here there s "s"ally no admttance e6cept on b"sness&

De%oes captalst s transported to a desert sland o"tsde the maret system, and hs relatons

to other people are drect and $sble& Ther secret o% captal s re$ealed, namely, that t s

based on other peoples labor and s obtaned thro"!h %orce and ll"son& The brth cert%cate

o% Robnsons captal s not as bloody as that o% many other %ort"nes, b"t ts coerc$e nat"re s

clear&

The nternatonal economy o% Robnsons tme, le that o% today, s not composed o% e"al

partners b"t s ordered alon! class lnes& Robnson occ"pes one o% the "pper7mddle le$els o%

the pyramd& (The h!hest le$els are n the captals o% E"rope&) aptans, merchants, andplanters are hs peer !ro"p& Wth them he e6chan!es on the bass o% %raternal collaboraton&

(?rab captans e6cepted&) They teach hm, resc"e hm, do b"sness %or hm, and eep hm %rom

%alln! beneath hs class& .e n t"rn !enerally re!ards them as honest and plan7dealn! men,

sdes #th them a!anst ther rebello"s s"bordnates, and s easy #th them n hs bar!ann!&

To#ards #htes o% lo#er ran he s more demandn!& *% they dsobey, he s se$ere8 b"t % they

are loyal, he s #lln! to share some booty and dele!ate some a"thorty& ?%rcans and

arbbeans are sold, lled, traned, or "sed as #$es by hs men, as the case may be& ?bo"t

the #hte ndent"red ser$ants, artsans, etc&, lttle s sad by De%oe n ths story&

The contradctons bet#een Robnson and other members o% the herarchy !$e the story ts

dynamcs& .e s %ore$er #restln! #th the problem o% s"bordnatn! lo#er le$els and tryn! to

rse abo$e hs o#n& The %act that he does not see t ths #ay b"t pre%ers to mae "p stores

abo"t hmsel% maes no d%%erence& .e denes the con%lct bet#een hmsel% and rday by

acceptn! rdays mas o% #lln! obedence& ?nd he conce$es o% hs !reed as a crme a!anst

od nstead o% a!anst man& "t hs daly l%e sho#s that hs socal relatons are anta!onstc

and that he no#s t&

*n the last analyss, ho#e$er, the story s only partly dalectcal& We hear only o% ho# Robnson

perce$es the contradctons and ho# he resol$es them& *n ths #or o% %cton he s al#ays able

to %"se t#o nto one& *n act"al l%e one d$des nto t#o, and the system de$elops beyond the

captalsts %antasy o% proper la# and order& Economc scence also needs the story o% rdays

!randchldren&

1& arl 'ar6, )apital (Fe# Ior: *nternatonal +"blshers, 1@=B), $ol& 1, B51&

2& or st"des o% De%oe dealn! #th economc aspects see: E&'& Fo$a, Economics and5iction of 6aniel 6efoe (ereley: n$ersty o% al%orna +ress, 1@=2)8 .& '& Robertson,*spects of the Rise of Economic (ndividualism (ambrd!e: ambrd!e n$ersty +ress, 1@>>)8*an Watt, The Rise of the 7ovel (ereley: n$ersty o% al%orna +ress, 1@5B)8 Dorothy


14/14

+re$o"s: 8('ERT9 Fe6t:*n il;Rich )uba), >B0&

4& ee arl +olany, 3?rstotle Dsco$ers the Economy, n arl +olany, et& al&, Trade andMarket in the Early Empires (Fe# Ior: ree +ress, 1@5B), =47@48 ?& rench, The 3rowth of the

*thenian Economy (/ondon: Ro"tled!e and e!an +a"l, 1@=4)&5& Sohn 'aynard eynes, 3Fatonal el%7"%%cency, =ale Review, $ol& 22 ("mmer 1@>>),B557=@&

=& R&D& /an!, The $olitics of E!perience (Fe# Ior: +antheon, 1@=B), >=&

B& ?rstotle, The $olitics (Fe# Ior: O6%ord n$ersty +ress, 1@4=), boo 1, chapter 5, 1254,bB7b@&

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robinson crusoe and the secret of primitive accumulation

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