Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism.

[white_wolf]

In my Socialism 101 thread a poster mentioned that Lenin's pamphlet on Imperialism should be read by everyone regardless of their feelings on the man. So after reading it there is one section that really stuck out and seems to be a prediction of our times, so I'm going to post the excerpt along with the full link. Let me know what you all think, and please try to put aside any personal dislike or even hate you may have for the man and focus on what he said. Here is the link: http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1916/imp-hsc/index.htm

"(1) the concentration of production and capital has developed to such a high stage that it has created monopolies which play a decisive role in economic life; (2) the merging of bank capital with industrial capital, and the creation, on the basis of this “finance capital”, of a financial oligarchy; (3) the export of capital as distinguished from the export of commodities acquires exceptional importance; (4) the formation of international monopolist capitalist associations which share the world among themselves, and (5) the territorial division of the whole world among the biggest capitalist powers is completed. Imperialism is capitalism at that stage of development at which the dominance of monopolies and finance capital is established; in which the export of capital has acquired pronounced importance; in which the division of the world among the international trusts has begun, in which the division of all territories of the globe among the biggest capitalist powers has been completed."

[Starry Messenger]

1. k&r

[WillyT]

2. K & R !!!

:kick:

[socialist_n_TN]

3. Hmm. It DOES sound familiar.......

Kick for the prescience of Vladimir Ilych. That'll probably get the capitalists' panties in a wad. :)

[white_wolf]

4. Capitlaist or not

it is foolish for someone to say they don't see the similarities between what Lenin predicted and what is happening now.

[white_wolf]

5. I thought I would analyze how I think this applies to us today and see if you all agree:

1. This is fairly obvious, there are very full markets that have perfect competition, Most are either monopoles or oligopolies. These industries greatly regulate and control our lives. 2. Wall street and its speculation has pretty much ruined our economy and created a system where the few prosper and the many suffer. 3. I read this as talking about the outsourcing of industries to third world markets in an attempt to increase profits, not matter who it hurts. 4. The creation of international corporations which control almost all trade, as well as the World Bank and IMF. 5. The U.S. is still the largest capitalist power in the world, and we have bases all over the world protecting our interests and profits.

[David__77]

6. "Theory of general crisis" was the problem in the theory.

There is no "general crisis" as understood by Marxists, with a relentless, ongoing nature. Capitalism is not preordained to be replaced by socialism - that is a matter of humanity growing up. Who knows if that will happen?

[Hannah Bell]

7. prescient.

(1)the concentration of production and capital has developed to such a high stage that it has created monopolies which play a decisive role in economic life;
(2) the merging of bank capital with industrial capital, and the creation, on the basis of this “finance capital”, of a financial oligarchy;
(3) the export of capital as distinguished from the export of commodities acquires exceptional importance;
(4) the formation of international monopolist capitalist associations which share the world among themselves, and
(5) the territorial division of the whole world among the biggest capitalist powers is completed.


...presently engaged in redividing that world now; the fall of the communist bloc, the "color revolutions," iraq, afghanistan, libya, the "arab spring," the ongoing war in africa...the global war on the working class...

there is war everywhere today, on the scale of a third world war.