World System History, The Papacy, and the Transition from Transitions

Robert A. Denemark
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Robert A. Denemark: Robert A. Denemark is on the faculty of political science and international relations at the University of Delaware. He co-edited World System History: The Social Science of Long-Term Change (Routledge, 2000) with Jonathan Friedman, Barry K. Gills and George Modelski. His most recent work is on long-term patterns of global cooperative behavior. Professor Denemark is general editor of the International Studies Association Compendium Project. Address: Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Delaware, Newark DE 19716 USA. [email: denemark@UDel.Edu]

Journal of Developing Societies, 2008, vol. 24, issue 1, 57-82

Abstract: In a very controversial argument, Andre Gunder Frank suggested that scholars abandon ideas like ‘transitions’ and ‘modes of production’ in favor of more accurate, less Eurocentric concepts. This work reviews three relevant debates on the use of these concepts. The class backgrounds of 64 popes from 1300 to 1900 are then analyzed to see if leaders of a powerful, non-hereditary office altered over that time. The analysis offers no support regarding the role of transitions or modes of production in helping to understand elite recruitment. This finding supports Frank's suggestion that we consider alternative conceptual foundations for understanding development.

Keywords: Andre Gunder Frank; modes of production; papacy; Roman Catholic Church; the transition to capitalism; world system history (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:jodeso:v:24:y:2008:i:1:p:57-82

DOI: 10.1177/0169796X0702400104

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