there are two problems with the tributary mode: (i) it is a societal
concept and does not bridge the east/west divide in its essence, and (ii)
it would greatly underestimate the amount of Asian and other economic
activity that is no different from western production/exchange except that
it is called something from a "tributary mode of production" rather than a
"capitalist mode of production".
Albert Bergesen
Department of Sociology
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona 85721
Phone: 520-621-3303
Fax: 520-621-9875
email: albert@u.arizona.edu