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Overview
In the decades after 1945, as colonial possessions became independent states, it was widely believed that imperialism as a historical phenomenon was coming to an end. The six essays collected in this volume demonstrate that a new form of imperialism was, in fact, taking shape—imperialism defined not by colonial rule but by the global capitalist market. From the outset, the dominant power in this imperialism without colonies was the United States.
Magdoff's essays explain how this imperialism works, why it generates ever greater inequality, repression, and militarism, and the essential role it plays in the development of U.S. capitalism.
Written in the 1960s and 70s, Magdoff's essays constituted a major contribution to Marxist theory and provided a model of rigorous argument in which theory is constantly checked against the economic reality. They provide an indispensable guide to the basic forces at work in the global politics of the twenty-first century.
Synopsis
Although the notion that the United States is an imperial power has recently been considered an acceptable topic for mainstream U.S. debate, socialist writer Magdoff (co-editor, Monthly Review) has been arguing such for years. These six essays, originally published between 1965 and 1978, lay out his views on the workings of American imperialism, an imperialism that has eschewed territorial acquisition in favor of a more informal political and economic exploitation. The natural results of this informal imperialism are still, like its predecessors, inequality, repression, and militarism. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR