International Capititalism to Socialism?

[BornDeist]

So in order for socialism/communism to exist there must be a highest stage of capitalism first. And the highest stage of capitalism is imperialism. And communism must be an international movement correct? But in order for every country to be at the highest stage of capitalism there must be imperialism, and for imperialism to exist there must be countries in which have not reached the highest stage of capitalism.

I'm confused :/

[Blake's Baby]

Capitalism is a world system, and communism is not national.

Imperialism exists because capitalism, as a world system, has advanced to the point where it can only grow by consuming itself. In the 19th century the growth of Britain as a major economic power spurred the growth of other powers, such as Germany and the US. In the 20th century the growth of economic powers has come at the decline of other powers. The massive growth of the East Asian economies over 50 years or so (first Japan and Korea, then China) has been accompanied by the ruination of many other parts of the 'traditional' capitalist heartlands - particularly in Europe and the 'rust belt' of North America, and lately even Japan itself, as well as the decimation of industry in the former-USSR.

So capitalism has advanced to be a global system that is characterised by instability on an economic and military level (competition for both markets and raw materials leads to competition for strategic interests, eg the last 100 years of 'oil wars').

It is the fact that capitalism has advanced to this state of interdependence (global communications, global trade, and global production which mean a global proletariat) that enables the working class to posit the notion of global socialism. It exists globally, it can solve the problems of capitalism globally, in a way that was not possible in the 19th century (and some people argue not the 20th either, but I disagree).

[argeiphontes]

So in order for socialism/communism to exist there must be a highest stage of capitalism first. And the highest stage of capitalism is imperialism. And communism must be an international movement correct? But in order for every country to be at the highest stage of capitalism there must be imperialism, and for imperialism to exist there must be countries in which have not reached the highest stage of capitalism.

I'm confused :/

Saying that something "must" happen in history is a dubious proposition that not everyone on this board will believe. This view comes from applying the philosophy of dialectical materialism to the world-historical development of socioeconomic systems. As a deist, so presumably an idealist of one kind or another, you certainly don't have to believe this to be a radical leftist. I sure don't.