Imperialism?

[NorwegianCommunist]

Can someone teach me about Imperialism?

I can easily search for this on google, but I want your point of view.
Is it good/bad, why/why not etc.

=)

[Ostrinski]

Imperialism is the expansion of capital and the exploitation of new markets. It's neither good nor bad, as it is a necessity of the international capitalist system. Fighting imperialism instead of capitalism itself is counterproductive.

[NorwegianCommunist]

Imperialism is the expansion of capital and the exploitation of new markets. It's neither good nor bad, as it is a necessity of the international capitalist system. Fighting imperialism instead of capitalism itself is counterproductive.


So pretty much the opposite of communism then?

[Ostrinski]

Don't look at imperialism like a system, just think of it as an action necessary for capital to sustain itself.

[Rooster]

Imperialism is supposedly just a stage in capitalism but I'm really not too sure how it deviates from regular capitalism, though. It's mostly to do with finance capital controlling markets,industry and/or increasing exploitation by weakening governments (usually through war). I'm sure the world has moved on since Lenin's time so his ideas of imperialism might need revised.

[Grenzer]

If you want to know the leninist conception of imperialism, then look here. (http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1916/imp-hsc/)


I'm sure the world has moved on since Lenin's time so his ideas of imperialism might need revised.

*gasp*

That's revisionism (http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2010/10/19/mn-russia20_PHb1_0502357826.jpg), bro.

[Rooster]

*gasp*

That's revisionism, bro.

Actually, Lenin's work on imperialism was originally called The Latest Stage of Capitalism and was only renamed The Highest Stage after his death.

I actually didn't find that work to be that great, to be honest. Most of it is fairly common knowledge these days especially stuff concerning the growth of finance capital and monopolies. It might be better to look at David Harvey's work for a more contemporary picture or maybe at some historical work on the period of say, around 1870-1914, to see the development of capital. Stuff like Hobsbawm's, and I think it's this one, The Age of Empire.

[Grenzer]

Actually, Lenin's work on imperialism was originally called The Latest Stage of Capitalism and was only renamed The Highest Stage after his death.

I actually didn't find that work to be that great, to be honest. Most of it is fairly common knowledge these days especially stuff concerning the growth of finance capital and monopolies. It might be better to look at David Harvey's work for a more contemporary picture or maybe at some historical work on the period of say, around 1870-1914, to see the development of capital. Stuff like Hobsbawm's, and I think it's this one, The Age of Empire.

That's interesting to know, I hadn't heard that. I'll check those books out at some point.

If truth be told, I'm not a huge fan of Lenin the theorist. He's kind of overrated, but it's not surprising considering how ubiquitous the leninist movement is.