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Marxist Theories of Imperialism: Evolution of a Concept

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Marxist Theories of Imperialism: Evolution of a Concept Marxist theories of imperialism: evolution of a concept By Murray Noonan, BA (Hons) Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Communication and the Arts Faculty of Arts, Education and Human Development Victoria University September, 2010 ABSTRACT Over the course of the twentieth century and into the new millennium, critical analysis of imperialism has been a feature of Marxist thought. One of the salient concerns of Marxist theorising of imperialism has been the uncovering of the connections between the capitalist accumulation process and the political and economic domination of the world by advanced capitalist countries. The conceptualising and theorising of imperialism by Marxists has evolved in response to developments in the global capitalist economy and in international politics. For its methodological framework, this thesis employs conceptual and generational typologies, which I term the ‘generational typology of Marxist theories of imperialism’. This methodological approach is used to assess the concept of imperialism as sets of ideas with specific concerns within three distinct phases. The first phase, starting in 1902 with Hobson and finishing in 1917 with Lenin’s pamphlet, covers who I call the ‘pioneers of imperialism theory’. They identified changes to capitalism, where monopolies, financiers and finance capital and the export of capital had become prominent. The second phase of imperialism theory, the neo-Marxist phase, started with Sweezy in 1942. Neo-Marxist imperialism theory had its peak of influence in the late 1960s to early 1980s, declining in influence since. Writers in this cohort focussed on the lack of development of the peripheral countries. The third or what I call the ‘globalisation-era’ Marxist phase of imperialism theory started with Hardt’s and Negri’s Empire in 2000. Globalisation and the hegemony of the United States fundamentally challenged the ‘globalisation- era’ Marxists, some of whom have responded by clarifying and criticising problems associated with the theories of the ‘pioneers’. The phases of the ‘pioneers’ and neo-Marxists have been identified in previous critical surveys of Marxist imperialism theory. In identifying the third phase, this thesis makes a significant contribution to the literature. Despite a ‘renaissance’ in Marxist imperialism theory over the past decade, there has not been a critical study of Marxist imperialism theory published since 1991. This thesis covers the gap in the literature and argues that the ‘renaissance’ brought about by the ‘globalisation-era’ Marxists has enabled a clearer definition of imperialism to emerge. Moreover, the basis now exists for richer, more sophisticated theorising of contemporary imperialism. I STUDENT DECLARATION I, Murray Noonan, declare that the PhD thesis entitled Marxist theories of imperialism: evolution of a concept is no more than 100,000 words in length including quotes and exclusive of tables, figures, appendices, bibliography, references and footnotes. This thesis contains no material that has been submitted previously, in whole or in part, for the award of any other academic degree or diploma. Except where otherwise indicated, this thesis is my own work. Signed: Date: 30 September 2010 II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many people have offered me help, advice and support during the process of writing this thesis. At Deakin University where I started work on this project I was supervised by Dr. Hans Lofgren and I wish to thank him for his comments and criticisms on some early chapter drafts. Friends such as Dr. Lindsay Dawson, Dr. Mark Humphries, Ruth Jackson, Ruth Lee, Chris Linke, Dr. Carol Naylor and Dr. Ian Weeks have offered support, advice, encouragement and sympathy. Pam Maclean gave me some insightful suggestions during the latter stages of writing for which I am very grateful. Professor Evelyne de Leeuw allowed me to use a work station in the Faculty of Health, Medicine, Nursing and Behavioural Sciences which was a very kind gesture; thank you Evelyne. A thank you also to my new friends Jane Acopian, Danielle O’Halloran and Robyn Perlstein in the Dean’s Office for their patience with this interloper. I owe a large debt of gratitude to Dr. Paul Adams and Dr. Jamie Doughney my supervisors at Victoria University for not only seeing merit in my thesis, but actively encouraging me to complete a task that I had started elsewhere and that seemed to be floundering. Aside from providing critical comments and suggestions their enthusiasm for my project has enabled me to make the final push. I could not have completed this thesis without their help. I would also like to thank Dr. Chad Whelan for his encouragement and his formatting skills which have contributed greatly to the presentation of this thesis. Dr. Tony Joel has gone above and beyond not only by editing and proof-reading my work but in true ‘Reds’ fashion he made sure I did not walk alone when I was at my lowest ebb. Tone, thank you so much for your support, advice, ‘tough love’ and friendship. Even though I’m a ‘gooner’, Tone, YNWA. Last but not least, my partner Susan Jane Digby and our daughter Meave have lived with me through this process and they have shared in my joys and sorrows. To them both, many thanks and much love. III TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT I ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS III INTRODUCTION - Marxist theories of imperialism: evolution of a concept 1 Introduction 1 The new third phase of imperialism theory: ‘globalisation-era’ Marxists 3 Key objectives 6 Conceptual framework 7 Structure of the thesis 8 Synopsis and key arguments 9 CHAPTER 1 - Imperialism as aberration: the reformists Hobson, Hilferding and Kautsky 14 Introduction 14 John A. Hobson: father of imperialism theory 18 The economics of imperialism 19 Old imperialism, new imperialism, colonialism and liberalism’s sell-outs 22 New Imperialism, morality and the liberal white man’s burden 25 Hobson’s contribution to the study of imperialism 27 Hilferding’s Finance Capital and imperialism 30 The changing face of capitalism one: finance capital 32 The changing face of capitalism two: the export of capital 33 Territoriality, colonialism and the rise of the strong state 34 The state as instrument, imperialism as policy 35 Hilferding’s foundational work on capitalism and imperialism 36 Negotiating through the minefields of war, revolution and imperialism: Karl Kautsky 38 From imperialism to ‘Ultra-imperialism’ 40 Ultra-imperialism and the role of social democracy 41 Hilferding’s influence on Kautsky 42 Kautsky: right after all? 43 ‘Ultra-imperialism’, Kautsky’s enduring legacy 45 Conclusion 46 IV CHAPTER 2 - Imperialism as unavoidable consequence of capitalist development: the revolutionaries Luxemburg, Bukharin and Lenin 48 Introduction 48 Rosa Luxemburg and the necessity of non-capitalist regions for capitalist accumulation 52 International loans as lever: opening up the non-capitalist regions 54 Free Trade, tariffs and imperialism 55 Militarism as a weapon and as province of accumulation 57 The political gap in Luxemburg’s imperialism theory 58 Luxemburg’s contribution to the theory of imperialism 59 World economy and imperialism: Bukharin’s systematic analysis 61 Bukharin’s world economy: lynchpin of a theory 62 Problems with Bukharin’s handling of the state and state capitalism 65 Weighing up Bukharin’s theory of imperialism 67 Pinnacle of classical Marxist imperialism theory? Lenin’s Imperialism 68 Concentration leading to monopolisation 69 Banks and monopoly capitalism 71 Finance capital and the financial oligarchy 73 Export of capital 74 Capitalist combines and the economic division of the world 75 The geopolitical division of the world by great powers 76 Five features and a definition 78 Parasitism, decay, stages and Kautsky 79 Some critiques of Lenin’s Imperialism 81 Lenin’s imperialism theory: a summary 85 Conclusion: the legacy of the ‘pioneers’ 86 CHAPTER 3 - Paul Sweezy and Paul Baran: the founders of neo- Marxist imperialism theory 90 Introduction 90 Sweezy and The Theory of Capitalist Development 92 Connections between fascism and imperialism: Sweezy’s view 98 Sweezy, imperialism and The Theory of Capitalist Development 99 Baran, the nature of imperialism and The Political Economy of Growth 101 Financiers, the state and imperialism 103 V Imperialism, militarism, military spending, war and the decline of inter- imperialist rivalry 104 Summary of Baran’s theorising of imperialism 106 Sympathetic critics: Sutcliffe and Griffin and Gurley on Baran 107 Underconsumption, stifling of competition under conditions of monopoly and the economic surplus 108 Militarism, imperialism and surplus absorption in Monopoly Capital 111 Conclusion 114 CHAPTER 4 - Andre Gunder Frank: Underdevelopment, dependency and disenchantment 116 Introduction 116 Dependency theory: theoretical and historical context 118 Gunder Frank’s first phase of writing: imperialism as underdevelopment 120 Economic surplus, Latin America and the world capitalist system since the sixteenth century 124 Gunder Frank’s second phase of theoretical writing 126 Gunder Frank’s later work: disenchantment with Marxism and western social theory 129 Conclusion: Gunder Frank’s writing on imperialism 132 CHAPTER 5 - Immanuel Wallerstein and the modern World System: hegemony and the long wave cycles of capitalism 134 Introduction 134 Historical and theoretical context of Wallerstein’s work 136 Wallerstein, the capitalist world economy and the World System 137 Core, periphery and semi-periphery: the three-tiered state
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