Re: [A-List] 2- China/4th Expansion of US Power

[Waistline2@xxxxxxx]

"The commercial expansion spirit runs through the four stages of expansion, this is entirely different from the expansion of the Roman Empire, but is close somewhere to the expansion of the British Empire. In a sense, the American expansion ideology originated from the British Empire. British thinker John Locke, based on the theory of "natural right", held that domestic development needed the expansion of empire. Benjamin Franklin accepted and developed this ideology; he asserted that the United States needed to "constantly acquire new land to open up living space". This idea affected a whole generation of US thinkers. During the US-Spanish War, well-known railway king Hill said openly: If you review the commercial history, you will discover anyone who controls oriental trade will get hold of global wealth. After its independence, the United States naturally inherited this commercial spirit. Protecting American commercial monopoly or advantageous position became the primary objective of US external expansion. The direct fuse, which led to US involvement in World War I, was that its free trade position was challenged. 

"In order to serve commercial capital, the fatalism believed in by British puritans was brought to the United States and has been taken deep root in the hearts of the Americans with the passage of time, becoming an important component of their ideology."

Part 2


The ideological basis or rationalizing theory or the framework in which people think things out is important. Humanity has deep strivings that in the last instance are tied to their economic well being. In the revolutionary process various ideological groups compete for mass political support or the loyalty of people. The group that wins the mass support is able to take ideological movement and make it a shell within which the historic economic and social struggle and striving of the people fit and move forward. 

The communist of China provide perhaps the best example of this process during the transition from agriculture to industry. The communist of the last era called for "New Democracy," redistribution of the land, a guarantee of food for all and most importantly the rebirth of China. China has perhaps the oldest continuous culture on earth and are an intensely proud and patriotic peoples.  The 150 years of humiliation by imperial powers was a part of the ideological fabric of the communist of China and when the Peoples Republic was founded Chairman Mao simply stated, "China has stood up" and the world understood. 

The American ideology of "nature rights" and expanding into open space is outright imperialist ideology and banditry. If my memory serves me correct it was none other than Ben Franklin who crafted the infamous law giving 10 dollars to anyone that would murder a female Native and 12 dollars for the murder of a male. To collect this money one had to bring proof of killing and this seems to me to be the real origin of scalping as a social movement in America's ascendancy. One must understand that the payment of 10 and 12 dollars was in the context of an economy where one dollar a week was a decent and livable wage. 

The saying, "the only good Indian is a dead Indian" entered American culture as the scum of the earth amassed a small fortune. Here is the essence of commercial capital American brand, in its genesis. The westward movement of freedom in American history acquired different features at every quantitative and qualitative juncture in the development of our mode of production. 

It is true that the spirit of 1776 - the striving for national liberation with its utter contempt for the King and our Declaration of Independence, continue to inspire every segment of the America population - in varying degrees. However this American ideology is murderous and has no parallel with the proud traditions and patriotic feeling of the people of China.  

Add to this historic slaughter of the Native peoples a steady evolving capitalist form of slavery. At the time of 1776 George Washington was not simply one of the largest landowners in America, but one of the largest slaveholders. At the time of the Civil War and its conclusion - 1865, Robert E. Lee was one of the largest slaveholders. This relationship called slavery or "the peculiar institution" in the South was a fundamental economic and social relationship in the history of this country and distorted everything America claimed it stood for. 

The westward move of freedom and liberty, which our flag wavers speak of with pride, was the movement of slavery and cotton culture. Two examples that come to mind are the removal of the five "civilized tribes from their native lands to Oklahoma territory. Civilized tribes are called "civilized" because they owned African slaves. The "trail of Tears" is an indelible moral condemnation of US state policy for the expansion of slavery. The Native Bands of people suffered horribly on that journey. Can you imagine the condition of their African slaves? 

The other example was the annexation of Texas and later the war against Mexico and the ripping off half her national territory. There was no other reason for this expansionism but the promulgation of slavery. The westward march of liberty is a joke if not criminal insanity. Remember the Alamo? These so-called men of liberty delighted in cutting off the breast of helpless women, playing "catch with them" and were no more than thugs and scum, akin to the thugs who carried out the rape of Nanking. 

The American ideology of expansionism has a deep and historic white supremacy and later white chauvinism that has no parallel in China. This ideological shell is shifted and reformulated at every juncture in the evolution of our mode of production.  An article or book on the expansion and growth of the American Empire devoid of its ideological essence can only originate within a sector of the world community seeking accommodation with the most imperial sector of financial imperialism. 

Pardon, but I have been unsuccessful for a lifetime at repudiating who I am. Years ago that great singer and artist James Brown did a record, "Money won't Change You - but time will take you out." The dreams at night haunt me and the visions during the wakening hours are a material force. Freedom and liberty indeed! 

The export of freedom and liberty in the hands of our Anglo-American imperialist means hold on to your wallet, hide the women, children and young girls and prepare for biological warfare and a level of bestiality unprecedented in modern history. 

By chance last night I watched a TV program on Showtime called "Deacons for the Defense" which portrays the armed struggle of groups of African American peoples in Louisiana during the Civil Rights era and Lyndon Johnson administration. I am probably exaggerating a little, but I know of no other instance in history where such a small percentage of the population - 10%, waged the most unrelenting struggle against fascist state structure and peoples. It is hard to conceive our ideological frameworks. How we think things out is what is called "national character." 

The national character of the African American peoples National Liberation Movement has been fused into the heart of the proletariat and is an ideological shell of resistance and fight against the most imperial of all imperial world authority throughout human history. Why is it that 80 - 90% of the African American are opposed to the Bush Jr. administration? 

The American ideology is extremely complex and contradictory for one looking at our history from the "outside." One is compelled to try and make sense of a history that gives the world the most exalted vision of freedom with the most brutal and callous exploitation and destruction of human life. 

The "British thinker John Locke, based on the theory of "natural right", held that domestic development needed the expansion of empire," was reshaped in the hands of degenerates and ushered in the first fascist form of rule on earth and then birthed a new form of imperial authority.  

Revolutionaries in America have for generations not understood the specifics of the complexity of the national and colonial question in our country and the various dimensions and essence of American ideology. While writing this article - part 2, a "Rap record" from a decade ago floods my mind in a repeating wave. Here are some of the lyrics.

"At night I can't sleep
I toss and turn.
Candles burn in the dark.
Visions of bodies being burned.
4 walls just starring at a nigga
I'm paranoid and sleeping with my finger on the trigger. 
...there's someone watching me act.
I don't know who it is 
So I'm watching my back.

....I see his face when I'm deep undercover.
When I'm awake
I don't see the mutherfucker.

...my mind is playing tricks on me."


Hold on to your wallet. Hide your women and children and send the small girls to the countryside. Prepare for chemical and biological warfare. 

These are barbarians in control of an advance mode of production. My memory falters but my soul bears witness. It was Ben Franklin that made a "dead Indian the only good Indian" in American culture. I shall find no peace in this existence or the one following that. We shall battle into infinity. The imperialist bourgeoisie can do nothing to me that they have not already done to the people from which I spring. I live to write the story only because they cannot jail and kill everyone of us. 

Some time ago I wrote that our musical achievement should be transfered to China as the new technological leader and brother Henry L. did not understand or was to polite to reply. How can I be polite when they murder and jail everyone around me as a way of life? I will go to hell first before surrendering to a criminal madman. 

Melvin P.