Šiuo tekstu autorius siekia atnaujinti diskusija apie marksistiniu socialines raidos schemu pagristuma ir pritaikomuma modeliuojant visuotine istorija. Straipsnyje pristatomi triju autoriu požiuriai: labiausiai Vakaru istoriografineje tradicijoje žinomo tributalizmo/tributarinio gamybos budo koncepcijos kurejo ir propaguotojo Samiro Amino, išsamiai tributalizmo problematika nagrinejusio britu kilmes istoriko Johno Haldono (jis paraše visa knyga skirta šiam klausimui), originalia alternatyvia tributalizmo koncepcijos versija pateikusio rumunu sociologo Henri H. Stahlio. Autoriui nepriimtina pernelyg redukuota J. Haldono gamybos budo samprata, kai gamybos budas tapatinamas su eksploatacijos budu. Remdamasis paties K. Marxo tekstu analize autorius suformuluoja platesne gamybos budo samprata, kurios svarbiausiais komponetais yra eksploatacinis subjektas (ji nusako gamybos salygu nuosavybe, kuri realizuojasi kaip socialine galia) ir gamybinis/prievolinis vienetas, kuris gali reikštis arba individualaus tiesioginio gamintojo ukio, arba bendruomenes pavidalu. Remdamasis šia samprata autorius pateikia ikikapitalistiniu gamybos budu principine klasifikacija:

By this article the author wants to revive the discussion about Marxist schemas of social development and their applicability for constructing models of universal history. The viewpoints of three scholars are presented in the current text: Samir Amin‘s who is known in the Western historiographical tradition as the main creator and promoter of the concept of tributary mode of production, John Haldon‘s who has paid much attention to the above-mentioned concept and has dedicated an entire book to this issue, Henri H. Stahl‘s who created an original alternative approach to the issue of tributalism. The author rejects J. Haldon‘s concept of „mode of production“ as being too narrow. In fact J. Haldon identifies the mode of production with the mode of exploitation. The author proposes a wider definition of the mode of production which is based on the analysis of Karl Marx‘s texts. According to the author, the most important elements of mode of production are exploitative subject (it is defined by property of conditions of production, which realises as the social power) and productive/obligatory unit which can be manifested as a household of an individual direct producer or as a community. The author proposes the following classification based on his conception of a mode of production: