RE: [OPE] capitalist states, imperialism, and militarism

[GERALD LEVY <gerald_a_levy@xxxxxxx>]

Hi Dave Z:


> > "Capitalist nations have no goals or rationality"???!!!
> That was a misstatement on my part. What I meant to say was that
> economic systems --- especially uncoordinated ones --- do not behave
> like agents with rational goals. At best one can say they behave like
> regulatory control systems, but this is an emergent behaviour from
> various goals pursued by its agents. Anyway, these are deep theoretical
> questions.
 
 
OK. Thanks for the clarification.
 

> (b) I take 'imperialism' as a phenomenon that pre-dates capitalism, when
> a state tries to control or subjugate communities outside the territory
> in which it was constituted.
 
 
What is needed, I think, is a comprehension of the *specific form* that
imperialism takes under capitalism.  
 
 
> I think imperialist rivalry between states necessarily requires a role
> for militarism because state power is ultimately coercive power. The
> primary imperialist rivalry today is between the US and Iran over the
> Middle East. But the one that most likely will dominate the 21st century
> is between the US and China.

 
I don't think that either Iran or China are imperialist nations, although,
it is possible that could change in the future.
 
In solidarity, Jerry

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