[PEN-L:6177] Re: Re: Re: Imperialist strategy for"reconstructing"theBalkans

[Jim Devine <jdevine@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Charles:

>I can't tell if you are opposing the Marxist idea that capitalist wars are
integral to the capitalist system; or whether you are saying that this war
is an exception. <

neither. I was opposing crude economic determinism and teleology (i.e.,
something like profiteering from a Marshall-type plan occurs _because_ it
was planned ahead of time by NATO).

All wars are different. All have some similar bases in capitalism, i.e., in
trying to cope with class antagonisms by external means and as a result of
competition amongst capitals. But there are also a lot of other things that
change over time -- such as the nature of the hegemonic power, opposition
from non-capitalist systems (like the USSR) -- so that each war is different.

>I don't think the Marxist idea is that all the specific consequences of ,
say, WWI were intended and planned out in detail. The idea is that after it
is over, they will work out the details of how to profit off of the
destruction.<

then we agree.

gotta go...

Jim Devine jdevine@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx &
http://clawww.lmu.edu/Faculty/JDevine/jdevine.html
Bombing DESTROYS human rights. US/NATO out of Serbia!