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CHAPTER 4
ECONOMIC DETERMINISM AND EXPLOITATION: THE STRUCTURALIST PERSPECTIVE
Overview
Structuralism has its roots in the ideas of Karl Marx but today encompasses a much broader group of
scholars and activists. While most structuralists do not share the commitment to a socialist system as
envisioned by some Marxists, they do believe that the current global capitalist system is exploitative
and can be changed into something that distributes rewards in a more just manner.
Marx remains one of the most imposing figures in the history of political economy. With the collapse
Lenin expanded Marx’s study to account explicitly for imperialism, manifest in the dominant and
exploitative relationship of industrial countries with their colonial possessions. Analysis continues
with the work in dependency theory, modern world systems theory, and theories of imperialism. We
also survey some ideas of Antonio Gramsci. For many structuralists, globalization and globalism are
synonymous with neoimperialism.
After discussing the work of sociologists who write about the transnational capitalist class, we give
considerable attention to inequality, which we argue has become a major focus of attention in recent
scholarship. We present a fair amount of data on trends in inequality since the 1980s, which we hope
will help familiarize students with using data and interpreting it.
Key Terms
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economic liberalism
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structuralism
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historical materialism
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modern world system (MWS)
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core
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periphery
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semiperiphery
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neoimperialism
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transnational capitalist class (TCC)
Teaching Tips
• We call this perspective “structuralism” because it is the broadest name we could think of —a
big tent that includes Marx, Lenin, Wallerstein, and many others who have a somewhat
similar understanding of political economy. A common theme amongst these political
economists is recognition that the structure of the economy conditions both its political and
social dimensions. We recognize that this is a problem for some experts and instructors who
would prefer to call this perspective Marxist, Marxist-Leninist, or “Radical.”
• As noted in the text, this chapter leaves out many of the ideas of Marx and Lenin, focusing
only on the notions that are really critical to an understanding of IPE. It is hard for a person
who knows all about the labor theory of value, for example, but it is probably necessary,
given the introductory level of the text. When presenting material about Marx and Lenin (as
with economic liberalism and mercantilism), consider which ideas are most important and
focus on them.
• Pick a policy issue related to globalization and have students study the issue from a
structuralist perspective. What contributions to our understanding of the issue does
structuralism provide that the other three perspectives do not?
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Sample Essay Questions
1. Compare and contrast structuralism with mercantilism and liberalism in the following areas:
2. Why is Marx considered determinist? Describe his three “laws” about the falling rate of
3. Structuralists argue that capitalists use what kinds of mechanisms to control the subordinate
classes and get them to believe in the legitimacy of the capitalist system?
5. Outline the essential characteristics of dependency theory and the Modern World Systems theory.
6. Outline some of the views structuralists have about globalization. Why do they tend to be so
critical of it?
7. According to Wendy Brown, what is responsibilization and what are its effects on society?
8. What are some of the key characteristics of the precariat? What social groups or segments of
the workforce typically constitute a significant part of the precariat?
9. Summarize some important trends in inequality in developed countries over the period from
1980 to 2014. What changes, if any, have there been in income and wealth of the lower,
middle, and upper classes?
10. What specific factors do structuralists think have contributed to rising inequality in
industrialized countries since the 1980s?
11. Structuralists argue that capitalists use a number of political and economic mechanisms to
12. Imagine a structuralist and neoliberal having a discussion about globalization—its many
positive and negative features. What sorts of ideas would they agree on and disagree about?
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Sample Multiple-Choice Questions
d) wealth is necessary for power.
2) The process by which inherently unstable opposing economic forces and counterforces lead to
crisis, revolution, and to the next stage of history is called
3) Which one of the following refers to the privately-owned assets used to produce the commodities
d) private property
4) Which of the following is not one of Marx’s Laws of Capitalism?
5) Ideological manipulation occurs when
d) politicians convince voters that they support populist proposals.
6) Lenin believed that capitalism was able to postpone its crisis by:
d) Keynesian economic policies that reduce the chance of another Great Depression.
7) Which of the following most closely resembles Marx’s definition of class?
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d) Class is nonexistent; all capital is communally owned.
8) How does neoimperialism differ from classical imperialism?
a) International organizations create laws and policies for member nations.
9) According to dependency theory, why do LDCs remain underdeveloped?
a) They are dependent on food aid to keep their population alive.
10) According to many structuralists, which of the following is not one of the outcomes of the global
c) Increased consumer debt in industrialized nations.
d) Many state officials promoting austerity policies to decrease debt and promote recovery.
11) Which of the following is not a characteristic of the transnational capitalist class (TCC)?
a) It promotes a culture-ideology of consumerism.
b) It has power over national governments and exercises authority through the IMF, the
12) Which of the following is not a mechanism of “accumulation by dispossession”?
a) Saddling people with debt until they become insolvent
b) Privatization of state assets
13) Which of the following kinds of workers is most likely to be part of the precariat?
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Herman, Edward, and Noam Chomsky. Manufacturing Consent. New York: Pantheon Books,
1988.
Hoare, George, and Nathan Sperber. An Introduction to Antonio Gramsci: His Life, Thought and
Legacy. New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 2015.
Patel, Raj, and James W. Moore. A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things: A Guide to
Capitalism, Nature, and the Future of the Planet. Oakland, CA: University of California
Press, 2017.
Petras, James, and Henry Veltmeyer. Power and Resistance: U.S. Imperialism in Latin America.
Boston: Brill, 2016.
Wallerstein, Immanuel. World-Systems Analysis: An Introduction. Durham, NC: Duke
University Press, 2004.
Audiovisual Resources
Capitalism. Part 4, What If Marx Was Right? Ilan Ziv, dir. Brooklyn, NY: Icarus Films, 2015.
