The article identifies foundational principles of the structural analysis of economic, political and social systems, exploring their bearing on the study of structural transformations. In doing so, it delves especially into the conceptual resources provided by strands of economic theory. Particular importance is given to the relative positions of socio-economic groups, productive sectors, and institutions; the relative invariance of certain patterns of interdependence vis-à-vis others; and the view of economic dynamics as structural transformation subject to the condition of relative invariance. The article goes on to introduce and discuss a collection of papers that explore the relationship between structures and transformation with a view to understanding structural transformations in economic, political and social systems. A fundamental theme is the relationship between the range of transformations made possible by structures and the individual or collective actions taking place within those structures, which lead to some structural transformations instead of others.

本文确定了经济、政治和社会系统结构分析的基本原则，探讨了它们对结构转型研究的影响。在这样做时，它特别深入研究了经济理论链提供的概念资源。特别重视社会经济群体、生产部门和机构的相对地位；某些相互依赖模式相对于其他模式的相对不变性；以及将经济动态视为受相对不变性条件约束的结构转型的观点。本文继续介绍和讨论一系列探讨结构与转型之间关系的论文，以期了解经济、政治和社会系统中的结构转型。