ต้นกำเนิดของชนชั้นนายทุนในประเทศไทย (พ.ศ. 2398-2453) / สิริลักษณ์ ศักดิ์เกรียงไกร = The origin of the capitalist class in Thailand (1855-1910) / Sirilak Sakkriangkrai
This thesis is an analysis of the evolution of the capitalist class from B.E.2398 to 2453. During this period Thailand was transformed from a self-sufficient economy to a commodity economy. The period was most crucial for the emergence of the capitalist class. The objective of this thesis is to explain the process of capital accumulation in Thailand. In the capitalist system, apart from commodity production and free labour, capital formation is the most important characteristic. This thesis will examine the traditional politico-economic structure of Thailand under which the process of capital accumulation took place. The thesis will find out whether under the existing politico-economic structure, The emerging capitalists were able to develop into industrial capitalists. A reference to the origins of the capitalist class in Europe and Asia will be utilized as a comparative framework. The research finding is that under the traditional social structure of Thailand, characterized by the centralization of resources under the state, capital accumulation was realized mainly through the tax farming system. The Chinese tax farmers, acting as agents of the ruling class, accumulated huge profit. They transformed this profit into capital. Therefore, the capitalists in Thailand were essentially bureaucratic capitallists. Morever, the penetration of overseas capital in the latter part of the 19th century resulted in the birth of compradore capitalists. The compradores operated as brokers for the foreign capitalists. Consequently the capitalists in Thailand were not independent capitalists. The capitalist class compromised with the traditional ruling class. The result is that the capitalist class was unable to lead the country to industrialization.
