Perry Anderson’s Theory Of Historical Sociology Research And His Political Thought (1962-1982)

This dissertation studies on British New Left scholar Perry Anderson’s theory andmethod of his historical sociology research which between1962and1982, and the connectionbetween his political thought and historical sociology research. The article include preface,the main body and conclusion, The preface is about Perry Anderson’s work, the review ofresearch on Perry Anderson, the reason that the writer choose this topic and the basic ideas ofthis study. The main body of this article includes three parts.The first part will research on two articles,‘Portugal and the End of Ultra-Colonialism’and ‘Origins of the Present Crisis’, and to discuss the Perry Anderson’s early historicalsociology research, especially pay attention to analysis the methodology and the connectionwith European theory in those articles, and then discuss the relationship between PerryAnderson and other British New Left scholars.The second part will research on Perry Anderson’s work about political theory andstrategy which published in1960s to1970s, and discuss the political thought based on hishistorical sociology research, especially pay attention to analysis the track of PerryAnderson’s political ideas which from critical support to Wilsonism to revolutionaryradicalism, and explain how the track give his historical sociology research a new opportunity.The third part will research on Perry Anderson’s two books, Passages From Antiquity toFeudalism and Lineages of Absolutist State, analysis the influence of political thought in thosebooks, especially pay attention to discuss the Perry Anderson’ thinking in several problemssuch as the definition of mode of production, the role of productive force and relation ofproduction in social transformation, the roads of eastern and western European history, andthe theory of state, and show carefully how Perry Anderson reconstructs the historicalmaterialism, then discuss the relationship between Perry Anderson and other British Marxismhistorians.The conclusion will summarize the content of this article, and then explain the newmovement of Perry Anderson’s ideas combined with the change of political situation in1980s.