Robert Paul Brenner (; born November 28, 1943) is a

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of history and director of the Center for Social Theory and Comparative History at

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, editor of the socialist journal ''Against the Current'', and editorial committee member of ''

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''. His research interests are early modern European history, economic, social and religious history, agrarian history, social theory/

Marxism Marxism is a left-wing to far-left method of socioeconomic analysis that uses a materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to understand class relations and social conflict and a dialec ...

, and Tudor–

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England. Brenner contributed to a debate among Marxists on the "Transition from Feudalism to Capitalism", emphasizing the importance of the transformation of agricultural production in Europe, especially in the English countryside, rather than the rise of

international trade International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories because there is a need or want of goods or services. (see: World economy) In most countries, such trade represents a significan ...

as the main cause of the transition. His influential 1976 article, ''Agrarian Class Structure and Economic Development in Pre-Industrial Europe'', started the Brenner debate.Brenner, Robert.
Agrarian Class Structure and Economic Development in Pre-industrial Europe
. '' Past and Present'' 70 (1976), pp. 30–74 He argued that

smallholding A smallholding or smallholder is a small farm operating under a small-scale agriculture model. Definitions vary widely for what constitutes a smallholder or small-scale farm, including factors such as size, food production technique or technology ...

peasants had strong property rights and had little incentive to give up traditional technology or go beyond local markets and no incentive toward

capitalism Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, price system, private ...

. In the spring of 2017, Brenner and Vivek Chibber assumed editorial duties and co-launched the

academic journal An academic journal or scholarly journal is a periodical publication in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as permanent and transparent forums for the presentation, scrutiny, and ...

'' Catalyst: A Journal of Theory and Strategy'', with the assistance of ''

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'' magazine.

Books and publications

*1976: *1993: ''Merchants and revolution : commercial change, political conflict, and London's overseas traders, 1550–1653'' (Princeton, Princeton University Press) *2002: ''The boom and the bubble : the US in the world economy'' (New York, Verso) *2006: ''The economics of global turbulence : the advanced capitalist economies from Long Boom to Long Downturn, 1945–2005'' (New York, Verso) *2009: ''Property and progress : the historical origins and social foundations of self-sustaining growth'' (London, Verso)

References

External links

;Articles
"Dobb on the Transition From Feudalism to Capitalism"
'' Cambridge Journal of Economics'', 1978, 2, 121-140
"The economy after the boom: a diagnosis"
International Viewpoint, 342, July/August 2002.
The origins of capitalism
(with Chris Harman). ''International Socialism'' Issue 111, 3 July 2006. *
"Devastating Crisis Unfolds"
Against the Current, 132, January/February 2008.
"The Economy in a World of Trouble"
International Viewpoint, 411, April 2009.
"What is Good for Goldman Sachs is Good for America - The Origins of the Present Crisis"
(October 2, 2009). Center for Social Theory and Comparative History. Paper 2009–11. ;Videos
"Robert Brenner: The Consequences of Dependence on Asset Price Bubbles"
(April 8, 2010). Rethinking Capitalism Conference. University Center, UC Santa Cruz {{DEFAULTSORT:Brenner, Robert 1943 births Economic historians Living people Marxist theorists Marxist writers Deutscher Memorial Prize winners Reed College alumni University of California, Los Angeles faculty Writers about globalization American Marxist historians Historians from California