Marxist Theories of Imperialism and the Contemporary International System - Essay Example

NAME : XXXXXXXXXX TUTOR : XXXXXXXXXX TITLE : XXXXXXXXXXX COURSE : XXXXXXXXXX INSTITUTION : XXXXXXXXXX @2009 Introduction Marxists use the phrase imperialism to explain the general changes which occurred in the economic, political and social sphere of the big bourgeoisie of the industrialized countries in the 19th century as a result of capitalism. Capitalism is a mode of production in which capital and means of production are privately owned, goods and services are produced to be traded in market and profit is invested in technologies and industries. The defining characteristics of the capitalism include private property ownership, market exchange, and wage-labor, classes, private interests, competition, capital accumulation and profit maximization (Mommsen Wolfgang 1980). The highest stage of capitalism is imperialism and it is an imminent feature of contemporary international system. Marxism theories of imperialism are therefore useful in explaining contemporary international system. Imperialism has significantly influenced modern international relations. Most characteristics of capitalism define contemporary international system. The nature of international organization as developed by Marxist theorists of imperialism is conditioned by economic relations. The conflict between the industrialized countries and the developing countries determine all other social relations. Contemporary capitalist relations between countries are competitive and conflictual just as those in the 19th century. International relations between states in this contemporary era have tended to reflect capitalist relations. Between European states, international relations have tended to be competitive and conflictual, whereas, the relationship between European states and the developing countries have been exploitative in nature. Europeans countries have control over the global means of production. The class relations of production are imminent among states in this modern era. This has led to the development of the core-peripheral relations. Modern international relations are characterized by unequal division of labor between the developed and developing countries. This critical characteristic of modern international relations has not only led to the widening gap between the wealthy and poor countries but also to the development of dependency relationship (Morton 2005). The international system is characterized by international division of labor, the dependent states and the dominant states. The dependent states export primary commodities, minerals, agricultural commodities and labor, at a cheaper price to the dominant states who manufacture these commodities into products which they sell back to these poor countries at a high cost than they bought them. The dependent states have also served as repositories of surplus capital and outdated technologies. Although money, good and services flow into these dependent states, their distribution is determined by the economic interests of the developed countries rather than their economic interest. Industrialized states are both politically and economically powerful than the non-industrialized states. The structure of the international system is economically determined. It consists of the core and the periphery. The core include the developed countries with United State as the most powerful state followed by others such as Russia, China, Japan, France, Germany, Europe and Britain. The periphery include the developing countries such Latin America, Asia and Africa (Jahn 2006). The international system is an integrated capitalist system which seeks for capital accumulation. In their quest of power, the developed countries have made their way into the developing countries in order to incorporate them into the capitalist system so that they can exploit their natural resources. They have successfully done this by use of political consultants, missionaries, experts and Transnational Corporations (TNCs). Marxism theories of imperialism also help us understand the rise of monopolies in developed countries and their extension into global cartels. The concentration of capital and productive forces in the hands of a few countries has led to creation of large monopolies that dominate the world economy. Imperialism forms the monopoly stage of capitalism. The accumulation of capital and means of production has also led to the development of bank capital with industrial capital. This has led to formation of a new financial oligarchy referred to finance capital. As a result, leading economies are no longer exporting goods but capital. The intense international competition over land and markets can be understood in terms of capital accumulation manifest in capitalistic societies. The creation of classes is the principal actor in international relations and worldwide politics, with the developed countries being the major actors (Hobden and Richard 2001). The increase in foreign investments in developing countries is another feature of the contemporary international system that can be explained by Marxist theories of imperialism. Most developed countries have moved on and invested in developing countries in their search for cheap labor and natural resources so that they can make more profit and accumulate capital. Foreign investments in developing countries have not led to development of these countries as it had being speculated. This is because they are exploitative in nature as they have tended to pay low wages and salaries to workers and have over-exploited natural resources in these countries. Developed countries make all the decisions concerning investment in these countries. The developing countries do not have a say when it comes to foreign investments. They also plough back into their country the profit which they get rather than use it to develop these countries. The developed countries have thus developed at the expense of the developing countries. The process of capitalism therefore helps us explain the emergency of the developed, developing and undeveloped countries (Hobden and Richard 2001). The formation of modern nation-states within the international system can best be explained by Marxist theories of imperialism. In this modern era, the ruling class which constitutes the state, does not only own the means of production but also controls them. It uses non-economic institutions, such as the media, educational systems, religion, sports and grants, to uphold its power and position. Nation-states strive to improve their position in the hierarchy of the price system by raising the effectiveness of capital exploitation operating within their boundaries. The sovereign state has therefore served as an active contributor to the formation of social relations which leads to development of class struggles. These have promoted disorganization of labor worldwide. Modern states have served to maintain the exploitative system of the capitalist society. They act just like the bourgeois class in protecting their own interests and in facilitating economic expansion. The relations between two states depend upon the degree to which each has developed its means of production, division of labor and internal intercourse. Therefore, the relations between states are just but the expression of a certain economic organization. These relations are prone to change when the organization changes (Morton 2005). The bourgeois social relations are apparent at all level starting from supervisors to directors, international agencies and treaties between states. These relations are based upon the capacity of the capital to exploit and control the power of labor within the limits of the commodity-form. The social relationships between states are antagonistic in nature and have led to development of class relations. The struggles between states can be understood in the same sense as the struggles between capital and labor. These struggles assume the characteristics of the national power of capital over labor. The antagonistic and crisis brought about by capitalism has led to development of national states (Cox 1983). Marxism theories of imperialism also help us understand the instability imminent in international systems. Most states often experience intra-capitalist conflicts over territorial boundaries. Competition for markets and territories in this modern era has aggravated interstate relations. The growth of economic interdependence has made most states to be insecure, vulnerable and develop resentments against foreign political and economic competitors. The leading trading nations, namely the developed countries, have come up with international laws meant to protect their own interest such as rights for private investment and trade. In the international level, states interact within an international capitalist system which makes them prone to military violence and reluctant economic collaboration. Capitalism is the driving force behind the development of nationalistic movements and terrorist organizations in this modern world. A good example is the Al Qaeda and its terrorist network, which were a creation of the patriotic response to Western imperialism (Jahn 2006). The international system does create holders of private property. The international system is characterized by sovereignty states which emphasizes on exclusive control over property. Therefore, the international system is compatible with the core principles of capitalism, whereas, the sovereignty of the state is an essential feature of the international system. Sovereign states are the main guarantor of private property and the means of maintaining capitalist class relations. Private ownership of property brings with it antagonism and alienation. A sovereign state has the power to exclude those outside it from its material wealth. These characteristics of the state lead to alienation. International relations are characterized by conflict, change, struggle and dialectic of power. All these are characteristics inherent in a capitalistic society. International relations form an exchange society, in which individual states are free to pursue their own interests (Halliday 2002). The emergency of dominant states and subordinate states is as a result of the development of capitalist world system. Some states have benefited from the development of capitalism, while others have not. Developing countries have thus continued to depend upon advanced industrial societies. Capitalist and workers in developed countries are in a superior position as compared to their counterparts in developing countries, and they strive to maintain that advantage. The state, international organizations, political parties and interest groups exist to serve the interests of the ruling class. The ruling class uses the state to manage their local and international affairs, by enhancing and enforcing property rights. The ruling class interests dictate and dominate national interests. In the international level, the wealth and politically powerful countries dominate the poor and politically weak countries. International relations are therefore inherently conflictual and are a zero-sum game rather than a positive-sum game (Stephen 1998). Marxist theories of imperialism help us understand the controversies surrounding globalization in the contemporary international system. The pursuit for surplus accumulation has been the motivating force behind globalization. Globalization has contributed to uneven distribution of wealth and income among modern states. Globalization is marked by all the fundamental features of capitalism and has therefore made capitalism to be viewed as a world economic system. Some scholars have argued that a number of trends linked to globalization have generated an increase in people and capital mobility in the last quarter of the 20th century. This has led to the limitation of the states power to choose non-capitalist models of production. The growing globalization of capital has led to internationalization of finance and has made it ease for large corporations to relocate their operation to low-wage states. It is apparent that the phenomenon of imperialism has transformed to what is now broadly known as globalization. Hence, globalization is the new imperialism (Morton 2005). In conclusion, Marxist theories of imperialism help us explain contemporary international system. The nature of international system is capitalist as it is characterized by private property ownership, market exchange, and wage-labor, classes, private interests, competition, capital accumulation and profit maximization. The internationals system is also characterized by domination and subordination, which has led to creation of classes with the ruling class or the state acting as the principal actors. The primary aim of the contemporary state is interest maximization, whereas its agenda is dominated by economic issues. Economics determines the nature of politics in international relations. Reference: Cox, Robert W. 1983. Gramsci, Hegemony and International Relations: An Essay in Method’, Millennium: Journal of International Studies, 12:2, pp. 162-75. Halliday F. 2002. The Pertinence of Imperialism’, in Mark Rupert and Hazel Smith (eds.), Historical Materialism and Globalization, London: Routledge. Hobden, Stephen and Richard Wyn Jones 2001. “Marxist Theories of International Relations”, in John Baylis and Steve Smith, eds., The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations, 2nd edn. (New York: Oxford University Press) pp. 200-221. Jahn Beate 2006. Classical theory in international relations. Cambridge University, Cambridge. Mommsen, Wolfgang J. 1980. Theories of Imperialism, London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, pp. 29-58. Morton A. 2005. ‘The era of autocracy: capitalism, the modern states-system and International relations’ in Analysis of International Studies, 31, 495–517. Stephen M. Walt 1998. International relations: One world, Numerous theories: Foreign policy No. 110. Spring. pp29. Read More

Industrialized states are both politically and economically powerful than the non-industrialized states. The structure of the international system is economically determined. It consists of the core and the periphery. The core include the developed countries with United State as the most powerful state followed by others such as Russia, China, Japan, France, Germany, Europe and Britain. The periphery include the developing countries such Latin America, Asia and Africa (Jahn 2006). The international system is an integrated capitalist system which seeks for capital accumulation.

In their quest of power, the developed countries have made their way into the developing countries in order to incorporate them into the capitalist system so that they can exploit their natural resources. They have successfully done this by use of political consultants, missionaries, experts and Transnational Corporations (TNCs). Marxism theories of imperialism also help us understand the rise of monopolies in developed countries and their extension into global cartels. The concentration of capital and productive forces in the hands of a few countries has led to creation of large monopolies that dominate the world economy.

Imperialism forms the monopoly stage of capitalism. The accumulation of capital and means of production has also led to the development of bank capital with industrial capital. This has led to formation of a new financial oligarchy referred to finance capital. As a result, leading economies are no longer exporting goods but capital. The intense international competition over land and markets can be understood in terms of capital accumulation manifest in capitalistic societies. The creation of classes is the principal actor in international relations and worldwide politics, with the developed countries being the major actors (Hobden and Richard 2001).

The increase in foreign investments in developing countries is another feature of the contemporary international system that can be explained by Marxist theories of imperialism. Most developed countries have moved on and invested in developing countries in their search for cheap labor and natural resources so that they can make more profit and accumulate capital. Foreign investments in developing countries have not led to development of these countries as it had being speculated. This is because they are exploitative in nature as they have tended to pay low wages and salaries to workers and have over-exploited natural resources in these countries.

Developed countries make all the decisions concerning investment in these countries. The developing countries do not have a say when it comes to foreign investments. They also plough back into their country the profit which they get rather than use it to develop these countries. The developed countries have thus developed at the expense of the developing countries. The process of capitalism therefore helps us explain the emergency of the developed, developing and undeveloped countries (Hobden and Richard 2001).

The formation of modern nation-states within the international system can best be explained by Marxist theories of imperialism. In this modern era, the ruling class which constitutes the state, does not only own the means of production but also controls them. It uses non-economic institutions, such as the media, educational systems, religion, sports and grants, to uphold its power and position. Nation-states strive to improve their position in the hierarchy of the price system by raising the effectiveness of capital exploitation operating within their boundaries.

The sovereign state has therefore served as an active contributor to the formation of social relations which leads to development of class struggles. These have promoted disorganization of labor worldwide. Modern states have served to maintain the exploitative system of the capitalist society. They act just like the bourgeois class in protecting their own interests and in facilitating economic expansion.

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