中文
Cultural and Political Economics(Civilization Structure Theory) Civilization Structure Theory · Zhang Keliang

CORE CONCEPT · Core Concept

Finance as the Dominant Relation of Production

Finance as the Dominant Relation of Production

❖

Finance is not a neutral financing tool; it is the 'relations of production' of modern society itself.

Home / Glossary / Finance as the Dominant Relation of Production

Precise Definition

In modern society, capital is the principal form in which social wealth exists, and capital is created, allocated, and recycled by the financial system. Finance is therefore not an intermediary external to production; it is the "meta-mechanism" embedded within the relations of production — it decides to whom capital belongs, whom it serves, and how the right to development is distributed among members of society. Whoever holds the dominant power over finance holds the power to shape society's relations of production.

Schematic Diagram

Finance (Meta-Distribution)：The dominant mechanism of the relations of production in modern society: finance is no longer merely a tool serving the real economy; it prescribes to whom capital belongs and whom it serves, and therefore occupies the dominant position. Finance (Meta-Distribution) The dominant mechanism of the relations of production Relations of Production: To Whom Capital Belongs · Whom It Serves：The sum of property and distribution relations; it determines how the right to development is distributed among members of society, and is the hinge connecting finance and social structure. Relations of Production: To Whom Capital Belongs · Whom It Serves How the right to development is distributed among members of society Development of the Productive Forces · Shaping of Social Structure：The relations of production react upon the productive forces: once they are fixed, the direction of technological progress and the shape of social structure are shaped accordingly. Development of the Productive Forces · Shaping of Social Structure Whoever Holds the Dominant Power over Finance Shapes the Relations of Production：The core thesis of this framework: the dominant power over finance and the power to shape the relations of production are two sides of one coin — only by holding the former does one truly possess the ability to shape the latter.Whoever holds the dominant power over finance shapes the relations of production

InteractiveHover over (or tap / Tab-focus on mobile) any module to see its explanation.

Finance sits above the relations of production; it is the 'master switch' that allocates the right to development and shapes social structure.

Theoretical Provenance

Proposed and systematically developed in Zhang Keliang's Capital, Finance and the State (in progress) and Civilizational Reconstruction and Financial Rise (2025, co-authored with Huang Xiaoting). It is the theoretical elaboration of the proposition 'finance = relations of production,' and the pivot of the entire Cultural and Political Economics system.

Related Articles on This Site 13

Related Concepts

Financial Meta-Distribution (Three-Tier Distribution) Capital Policy Glossary ↗