Evolution of Economic History and Capitalism
T1. Contemporary Economic History
1.1 What is Economic History?
According to Jean Bouvier, it is the study of production facts and their evolution in space and time: 1. History of Techniques: history of technological changes affecting production factors (land, labor, and capital). Changes in factor proportions (technological innovation). 2. History of Changes in Space: studying productivity changes in areas (fertile-empty), political, and administrative spaces. 3. History of Economic Fluctuations
Read MoreEconomic Systems and Social Movements
Capitalism and Economic Concepts
Capitalism: An economic system where the means of production are privately owned, and capital is invested to maximize profit in a competitive market.
Actions: Title deeds representing part of a company’s capital, also known as shares in corporations.
Trust: A voluntary grouping of companies to control production, dominate the market, and eliminate competition.
Holding: A corporation controlling other companies by owning the majority of their shares.
Luddite: A protest
Read MoreKarl Marx’s Philosophy: Economy, Society, and Revolution
Karl Marx’s Core Philosophical Ideas
Karl Marx, a pivotal figure in philosophy and economics, co-founded the First Socialist International. His major works include Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts, Capital, and the Communist Manifesto (with Engels).
Historical Materialism
Marx argued that society’s economic structure shapes its historical evolution. This structure comprises:
Forces of Production
These are the resources and technologies used in production. In capitalism, the proletariat (working
Read MoreCommunication Theories: From Marxism to the Information Age
Edgar Morin
Proposed that mass culture alienates, turning individuals into consumers of marketed cultural products, immersed in a profit-driven environment.
Marxist Analysis in Communication
Focuses on the alienation of man, analyzing communication content. It views humans as pivotal for social change, contrasting with functionalism’s linearity.
Technical-Operational Level
Concerned with the technical design of information, focusing on signal transmission rather than content. It aims to optimize physical
Read MoreRegionalization and Environmental Impact: A Deep Dive
Understanding Regions
A region is a designated area of land or water smaller than the total area of interest (e.g., planet, country, river basin) but larger than a specific site. It can be a group of smaller units (e.g., countries of Latin America) or a section of a larger whole (e.g., Earth’s polar regions). The concept of a region is linked to scale, with sizes ranging from supranational (e.g., European Community, Andean region) to small counties or valleys.
Characteristics
Regional boundaries are
Read MoreOrtega y Gasset’s Philosophy: Vitalism, Historicism, and Context
I. Historical and Philosophical Context
1. The Problem in Spain
Inevitably, a reference to the Spanish question. After the defeat of 1898 in an unjust and unequal conflict with the U.S., Spanish society fell into pessimism, topically expressed by the Generation of ’98. The fate of philosophical work was a constant concern for these intellectuals. Ortega’s philosophy was oriented towards the Europeanization of Spain and assumed a rupture with the pessimism of ’98.
2. The Republican Solution
We must mention
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