Henri H. Stahl (1901–1991): some features of intellectual biography and an outline of historical sociology

Abstract

ABSTRACT The article seeks to clarify some aspects of works, ideas and professional activities of the prominent Romanian sociologist Henri H. Stahl. The article consists of four sections: a biographical profile, an outline of Stahl’s historical sociology, international discourses, critique and flaws. Although Stahl was a prolific author and his texts covered a wide spectrum of topics, the main field of his interest and expertise during his long professional career remained peasant studies. Stahl’s historical sociology is indistinguishable from the Marxist historical sociology. He was imbued by Marxist ideas from his youth and as a mature scholar he have been involved in various important Marxist debates which took place in Western academia during the 1960s–1970s. The most original part of Stahl’s historical sociology was his theory of tributarism which he had elaborated in the context of pre-modern Romanian social history. From the liberalization of the Romanian communist regime in the mid-1960s Stahl ceased to be isolated and entered into interaction with Western colleagues (despite the reluctance of the regime). Stahl’s output of academic texts in foreign languages and published abroad was significant, and his summarizing book about traditional Romanian village communities became a kind of academic bestseller.