MODE OF PRODUCTION

Definition: The mode of production is a central concept in Marxism and is defined as the way a society is organized to produce goods and services. It consists of two major aspects: the forces of production and the relations of production.

The forces of production include all of the elements that are brought together in production – from land, raw material, and fuel to human skill and labor to machinery, tools, and factories. The relations of production include relationships among people and people’s relationships to the forces of production through which decisions are made about what to do with the results

Communal mode of production:

Communal mode of production is that kind of production system where equal ownership of each people of community in the resources and means of production and its potential achievements of those resources is expected.

Characteristics of communal mode of production system are mentioned as follows:

1.      This mode of production assumes social equality.

2.      Communal ownership in the means of production.

3.      Kin based relationship exists and kin based groups exists.

4.      Communal production system is fishing and agriculture.

5.      This communal mode of production mostly found in hunting and gathering societies.

Slavery mode of production:

Slavery mode of production system is such type of production system where some people control over other people’s labor and use for their own sake.

Following are the characteristics of slavery mode of production:

1.      Slaves as the private property of slave owner which helped purchasing slaves as materials.

2.      As slave owners have unlimited rights, it promoted the exploitation, violence and domination against slavery

3.      Defining slaves by birth. Hence slavery got institutional legacy.

4.      Role and participation of slaves in each production process is major.

5.      Society is stratified into slaves and slave owners.

Feudal Mode of production:

The feudal mode of production is usually typified by the systems of the West between the fall of the classical European culture and the rise of capitalism, though similar systems existed in most of the earth. The primary form of property is the possession of land in reciprocal contract relations: the possession of human beings as peasants or serfs is dependent upon their being entailed upon the land. Exploitation occurs through reciprocated contract (though ultimately resting on the threat of forced extractions). The ruling class is usually a nobility or aristocracy. The primary forces of production include highly complex agriculture (two, three field, lucerne fallowing and manuring) with the addition of non-human and non-animal power devices (clockwork, wind-mills) and the intensification of specialization in the crafts—craftsmen exclusively producing one specialized class of product.
Characteristics of feudal mode of production can be mentioned briefly as follows:

1.      Basically two classes, slave and landowner emerged in society.

2.      Agriculture was the core of production. Animal husbandry was emphasized in the society.

3.      Unequal social system exists. Concept like ‘feudal are superior by birth’ are developed.

4.      Domination of feudal landlords exists in society.

5.      Significant portion of production is spent on unnecessary activities.

Capitalist mode of production

In Marx's critique of political economy, the capitalist mode of production is the production system of capitalist societies, which began in Europe in the 16th century, grew rapidly in Western Europe from the end of the 18th century, and later extended to most of the world. It is characterized by: the predominance of private ownership of the means of production and exploitation of wage labour; distribution and exchange in a mainly market economy and capital accumulation.
Characteristics of  the capitalist mode of production

• Both the inputs and outputs of production are mainly privately owned, priced goods and services purchased in the market.
• Production is carried out for exchange and circulation in the market, aiming to obtain a net profit income from it.
• The owners of the means of production (capitalists) are the dominant class  who derive their income from the surplus product produced by the workers and appropriated freely by the capitalists.
• A defining feature of capitalism is the dependency on wage-labor for a large segment of the population; specifically, the working class (proletariat) do not own capital and must live by selling their labour power in exchange for a wage.

The capitalist mode of production may exist within societies with differing state systems (e.g. liberal democracy, Social democracy, fascism, Communist state, Czarism), and different social structures such as tribalism, the caste system, peasant society, and urban industrial society. Although capitalism has existed in the form of merchant activity, banking, renting land, and small-scale manufactures in previous stages of history, it was usually a relatively minor activity and secondary to the dominant forms of social organization and production; the prevailing property system kept commerce within clear limits.

Socialist mode of production:
Social and economic development, in this mode of production has come to the climax. New, appropriate and effective technology led the production process into a great leap forward. Ownership of entire means of production happens to be public and these are mobilized as per the central level planning. Industries are the principle bases of economic development of society.
Characteristics of socialist mode of production are as follows:

1.      There happens to be a collective ownership in mode of production.

2.      Assumed that the entire inequalities between rich and poor ended.

3.      Each of the entrances of private properties is closed as production process is operated through central planning.

4.      Class conflict is less likely to appear as emphasis is given to social welfare and equality.

5.      None of the social, cultural, economic discriminations prevail.