Culture confronts Marx

Focuses on the thought of representative social scientists who rejected the Marxian class/exploitation thesis and opted for a cultural interpretation of development. Explores the contributions of Max Weber,Horace Plunkett, Edward Banfield and George Foster. Each stressed popular commitment to some rendition of the work ethic as the key to economic “take‐off”. Collectively, the writings of these“cultural” social scientists represent an alternative to the Marxian class/ exploitation thesis.