Jerry wrote:
Claus wrote that "Lenin's methodological approach ... goes in the right
direction". But, what *specifically* was Lenin's "methodological approach"
towards developing a theory of imperialism? Wasn't he pretty clear in
stating that the task of developing a theory of imperialism was
unfinished?
Claus: What I mean is that Lenin conceptualized imperialism not as a policy towards backward countries, but as a phase of capitalism, which resulted from the development of certain new and objective characteristics, which he listed and I mentioned in my post. This is what I mean with methodological approach. The questions then are: first, has capitalism in fact entered a new phase in this sense when Lenin wrote and, if so, are the characteristics he raised the essential ones? second, does capitalism today still show these same general characteristics or have new ones appeared that would allow us to speak of a different and more advanced phase?
It seems to me that my opinion coincides with Alfredo's, since an economic theory is, in Marx's terms, a theory of the relations of production and distribution at the base of a society. Thus, imperialism should be viewed as the theory of a phase of the development of capitalist relations of production and distribution.
regards, Claus.
Claus Germer
cmgermer@sociais.ufpr.br
Departamento de Economia
Curso de Mestrado e Doutorado em
Desenvolvimento Econômico
Universidade Federal do Parana
Rua Dr. Faivre, 405 - 3º andar
80060-140 Curitiba - Parana
Brasil
Tel: 55 (41) 360-5214 - Univ.
55 (41) 254-3415 - Res. (Home)
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