| This dissertation attempts to formulate a comprehensive theory of Marxist economic geography. Marxist geography in North America called for the formulation of its own theory (Harvey (1973) and Peet (1977)). One of the most recent and comprehensive attempts in this line of development, by Harvey (1982), indicates that there is a need for profound understandings of Marxist epistemology and economics in order to formulate the Marxist theory of space.;In this theory, the logical point of departure in relation to the whole body of Marxist science is the "uniform plane," in which pristine distance is only attribute in addition to the existing, non-spatial categories of Marxian economics. The spatiality of capitalism is explained as the outcome of the dialectics of capitalism in subsuming pristine distance. Essentially, capitalism attempts to subsume space by annihilating it when space is related to the circulation process, and by creating ground rent when space is related to the direct valorization process. Through these two attempts of the real subsumption of space, capitalism creates a spatial configuration. Based on this, the dynamics of the capitalist space is explained from the Marxist theories of technological change and expanded capital reproduction. The unequal development of capitalist space and the ultimate collapse of the capitalist space are then discussed, drawing mainly on crisis theory and its spatial extensions.;Following this line of development, this dissertation formulates the theory as an extension of the existing path of logical ascent of Marxism, from the non-spatial realm towards the spatial realm. The following materials form the base to carry out this task: (1) original works of Marxian economics, especially the three major works of Marx, namely Capital, The Theory of Surplus-Value and Grundrisse; (2) later developments of Marxian economic theory; (3) non-marxian regional and locational economic theory; (4) previous attempts by Marxist geographers to formulate a Marxist spatial theory; (5) relevant empirical studies of economic geography. These are integrated under the philosophical method of dialectical materialism. Attention is also given to the role of societal "agencies," which create the societal structure through mutual competition. |
