Is it Possible to think the Exploitation of the Peasantry with Marx? The Contribution of the Theory of the Subsumption of the Labor Process under Capital. A First Approximation

Abstract

Since the end of the 19th century, important theoretical debates have been held about peasant exploitation and its possible conceptualization within the frameworks established by the critique of political economy developed by Karl Marx. Given the peculiar features of the peasant labor process, certain theorists have affirmed the need to go beyond Marx and formulate new concepts to account for the variegated situation of the peasantry within the historical development of capitalism, especially in the so-called peripheral countries, such as Mexico. This article aims to contribute to this discussion by reviewing the fundamental axes of the Marxian theory of exploitation and its reflective and analytical potential to think about the forms of domination of capital over the peasantry. An exploration of the Marxist theory of the subsumption of the labor process under capital is carried out, as it constitutes the core of Marx’s critical analysis of capitalist exploitation and development. Based on a descriptive study of an explanatory nature, an exploratory and, therefore, non-exhaustive documentary review was carried out on the central concepts of this theory; as well as on the concrete historical mechanisms of capitalist subjugation of the peasantry in various countries, which allowed for the discussion of the contribution of several Marxist theorists to the theory of subsumption. It is concluded that this theory, due to its dialectical and procedural nature, is a fruitful tool for thinking about the plasticity and processuality of the processes of capitalist subjugation of peasant labor.