Re: [OPE] Britain--parasitic and decaying capitalism: A comment

A theory of imperialism (Lenin's included) does not have to reduce everything to
the economic.

 Jerry,
if you look at Hobson's book he explicitly discusses political aspects of imperialism. Lenin explicitly states in his book on imperialism that his book does not cover political aspects of imperialism. So there is no slightest sign to reduce everything to economics. Every aspect is relatively independent. But if one is interested in the essential solution of any problem, then, you have to point to its major cause that somehow overlaps all other aspects. By doing this we actually try to go to the roots of the problem and try to solve it from there essentially. This approach has nothing to do with reductionism. Take unemployment for example. It has as any other social phenomenon so many different aspects (sociological, psychological, political etc). So if one is interested in solving this problem one has to determine the major cause of unemployment. And it has as any other major social phenomenon at the end an economic cause. This is not to suggest that other aspects are not relevant. I guess this methodological appraoch/problem has to do with the fact whether one is interested in essential changes or just regulating and administrating it.

D.Göçmen
http://dogangocmen.wordpress.com/
http://www.dogangocmen.blogspot.com/

-----Original Message-----
From: GERALD LEVY <gerald_a_levy@msn.com>
To: Outline on Political Economy mailing list <ope@lists.csuchico.edu>
Sent: Thu, Dec 31, 2009 4:21 am
Subject: RE: [OPE] Britain--parasitic and decaying capitalism: A comment

What the war against Palestine & Afghanistan (and countless other locations)
have in common: the territorial division of the world among imperialist nations.
A theory of imperialism (Lenin's included) does not have to reduce everything to
the economic. On one point I would agree with Paul B and David Y: all of the
distinguishing characteristics of imperialism have to be taken together rather
than in isolation.
 
In solidarity, Jerry _______________________________________________
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Received on Thu Dec 31 02:35:00 2009