[PEN-L:4622] Re: PEN-L digest 671

[dassbach@xxxxxxx (Carl H.A. Dassbach)]

 It is
>capitalist development in a marxist sense that is taking place in Asia
>and imperialism (export of capital) is significantly influencing it.

As, I might add, Marx predicted it would.  In fact, Marx  was quite clear on
the `progressive' role of imperialism - capitalism reshaping the world in
its own image - in the Manifesto, its just that Marx's gloss on imperialism
was overshadowed by Lenin's.  Rostow, of course, didn't forget Marx.

  So
>those who believe in (not celebrate) capitalist development for future
>social change ought to reconsider small doses of imperialism (foreign
>direct investment) and marketization.
>

Is this a joke or are you serious? "Small does of imperialism and
marketization" - foreign capital in conjunction with repressive governments
"putting the screws" to a work force in order to extract surplus profits for
capital and rents for politicos..  Although material conditions may improve
(and it seems that we can only measure development in terms of material
indicators) in these corcumstances this is entirely an UNINTENDED
consequence of the private pursuit of profit which, I might add, ultimately
undermines the pursuit of profit by raising wage costs.

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Carl H.A. Dassbach                                   E-mail:   DASSBACH@xxxxxxx
Dept. of Social Sciences                            Phone:   (906)487-2115
Michigan Technological University              Fax:       (906)487-2468
Houghton,  MI   49931    USA