Political Economy

A Textbook issued by the Institute of Economics of the Academy of sciences of the USSR

Published date & Publisher: 1957, Lawrence & Wishart, London Printed and bounded in Great Britain by Jarrold and Sons Ltd., Norwich

Transcription: Socialist Truth in Cyprus-London Bureaux, November 2005- March 2006

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FOREWORD TO THE FIRST EDITION

This textbook of political economy has been written by a group of economists comprising: Academician K.V. Ostrovityanov; Corresponding Member of the V.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences D.T. Shepilov; Corresponding Member of the V.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences L.A. Leontyev; Member of the All- Union Lenin Academy of Agricultural Sciences I.D. Laptev; Professor I.I.Kuzminov; Doctor of Economic Sciences L.M. Gatovsky; Academician P.F.Yudin; Corresponding Member of the V.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences A.I.Pashkov; and Candidate [Master] of Economic Sciences V. I. Pereslegin, Doctor of Economic Sciences V. N. Starovsky took part in the selection and editing of the statistical information included in the textbook.

In connection with the drafting of the textbook a large number of Soviet economists made valuable critical observations and contributed numerous useful suggestions concerning the text. These observations and suggestions were taken into account by the authors in their subsequent work on the book.

Of very great importance for the work on this textbook was the economic discussion organised in November 1951 by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. In the course of this discussion, in which hundreds of Soviet economists took an active part, the draft for a textbook of political economy submitted by the authors was subjected to a thorough critical examination. The proposals worked out as the result of this discussion for improving the draft of the textbook were an important source of improvement in the structure of the textbook and of enrichment of its content.

The final editing of the textbook was carried out by comrades K.V. Ostrovityanov, D.T. Shepilov, L.A. Leontyev, I.D. Laptev, I.I. Kuzminov and L. M. Gatovsky.

Being fully aware of the importance of a Marxist textbook of political economy, the authors intend to continue to work on further improvement of the text, on the basis of critical observations and suggestions which readers may make when they have acquainted themselves with the first edition. In this connection, the authors request readers to address their comments and suggestions on the textbook to the following address:

Institute of Economics,

U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences,

14 Volkhonka,

Moscow

Introduction

Part One:

PRE-CAPITALIST MODES OF PRODUCTION

I. The Primitive Communal Mode of Production

II. The Slave-Owning Mode of Production

III. The Feudal Mode of Production

Part Two:

THE CAPITALIST MODE OF PRODUCTION