Re: [Marxism] Debunking Third World myths

["Joaquin Bustelo" <jbustelo@xxxxxxxxx>]

Louis wrote:
> There are many Haitians forced by poverty to work in the Dominican 
> Republic, but I wouldn't characterize the Dominican Republic as 
> imperialist.

Paula responds: "Then you'll have to strike 'exploitation of foreign labor'
off your list of criteria. Where does that leave your definition of
'imperialist nation'?"

Paula does us a favor by her formalistic insistence on "criteria" --check
boxes-- to decide who is imperialist and who is not. It demonstrates the
error of elevating such criteria in a formalistic, absolutist manner.

Imperialism is not a question of formalistic recognition of this or that
phenomenon. It is a question of social relations, i.e., relations of
domination/subordination, of oppression and exploitation. Of who is top dog
and who has to bow their head.

Now, if Paula can't tell which is the oppressor country and which is the
oppressed country in the relationship between the United States and the
Dominican Republic, then I withdraw from the discussion. I could, of course,
dig on the internet and provide all sorts of figures and facts demonstrating
that the Dominican Republic is oppressed and exploited AS A NATION and that
the ones who are doing it are the damned yankees, and I don't mean the
baseball team. But if we are reduced to having to argue about what is the
*truth* about the US-Dominican Republic relationship, then that is simply a
waste of time. If Paula REALLY thinks the Dominican Republic exploits and
oppresses the United States, then my only comment is that she is very
uncomradely for not sharing whatever it is she is smoking.

Joaquin





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