2018: Re: [marxism-thaxis] Imperialist booty and the wages of opportunism in the long run

On Aug 21, 2018, at 10:35 PM, Greg Schofield wrote: Dear Charles for what it is worth, this is the debate of the moment; whence imperialism now! Hello Greg: Of interest in Kautsky's article which inspired Lenin's critique, ironically we appear at this moment to be moving through his 'Ultraimperialism'. There is a waning of imperialist war, as Kautsky thought ( I think). Lenin vol 39 (notes on imperialism) p431: "The outcome of Kautsky’s “ ultra-imperialism ” and of a United States of Europe based on capitalism would be: 'inter-imperialism'!!" Lenin counter-poses, in his notes, ultra-imperialism with inter-imperialism. Yes, inter-imperialist rivalry from Lenin's list of features of imperialism was negated because of the existence of the Soviet Union; the imperialist countries (NATO) ended their rivalry to unite against Socialism. Remember Lenin's reasoning to inter-imperialism is imperialism in a world without a Soviet Union. Since the coup in the USSR the US has had something of a clear field, exceptionalism unveiled. In seeking further to increase the rate of profit, by lowering labour productivity (more living vs dead labour), it transferred capital to China, which has overtime put it to good use. I agree. Scattered the industrial points of production across the globe; made possible by computerization , just in time delivery, containerization. Geographical deconcentrate industrial working class centers like Detroit. Whence imperialism now? inter-imperialism unravels. The dominate, US faction of finance capital, unhitched the US dollar from any real relationship with the petro-dollar that has since the 1970s kept the inter-imperial juggernaut together. The world is awash with US dollars, and what Russia and China began to do (sell-off US reserves) is now joined by Japan, and others already along that road. Show Quoted Content Whence imperialism now? inter-imperialism unravels. The dominate, US faction of finance capital, unhitched the US dollar from any real relationship with the petro-dollar that has since the 1970s kept the inter-imperial juggernaut together. The world is awash with US dollars, and what Russia and China began to do (sell-off US reserves) is now joined by Japan, and others already along that road. I didn't know that. Meanwhile unable to actually confront militarily the multi-polar emerging post-inter-imperial world, it has started destructive and pointless brush-wars by proxies throughout Africa and the Middle East. Bullies former 'friends' and generally thrashes about in its senility. Now this will not pe4rhaps make sense in the USA, but external to it, Trump is doing a splendid job in tearing everything apart. Show Quoted Content Meanwhile unable to actually confront militarily the multi-polar emerging post-inter-imperial world, it has started destructive and pointless brush-wars by proxies throughout Africa and the Middle East. Bullies former 'friends' and generally thrashes about in its senility. Now this will not pe4rhaps make sense in the USA, but external to it, Trump is doing a splendid job in tearing everything apart. I agree. It's as if Putin has Trump on a "the-worse-the-better" political suicide mission . Trump is destroying the Republican Party , too. He's doing it by doing extreme rightwing _Republican_ type things. His fanatical , irrational mass base was made that way - not by Trump- but by the Republican Party white supremacist Southern Strategy of the last 50 years , appealing to racism. I sometimes suspect he is consciously doing it, in fact there could be some method in his madness, to trying to avoid the big bust-up, by a controlled implosion. Who knows?, but to push Turkey into a corner (Erdogan was a US invention), is really something extraordinary given its geography. To pressure NATO to pay-up at this time is another incredible contribution, unquestioned devotion up until Obama, and now it is openly discussed to do without it. Country after country are refusing to buy American weapons a thing of great significance in many of its dimensions. Russia's sales of S400 defence shields are like a map of dissatisfaction. I have lived my entire life under the American Imperial Regime and it is clearly now ending. Germany sits down with Russia and talks about alternatives to the US SWIFT exchange, the lynchpin of inter-imperialism was controlling the digital exchange mechanism. The light at the end of the tunnel is growing stronger and what comes from it is an entirely new political world; exciting times. Show Quoted Content I sometimes suspect he is consciously doing it, in fact there could be some method in his madness, to trying to avoid the big bust-up, by a controlled implosion. Who knows?, but to push Turkey into a corner (Erdogan was a US invention), is really something extraordinary given its geography. To pressure NATO to pay-up at this time is another incredible contribution, unquestioned devotion up until Obama, and now it is openly discussed to do without it. Country after country are refusing to buy American weapons a thing of great significance in many of its dimensions. Russia's sales of S400 defence shields are like a map of dissatisfaction. I have lived my entire life under the American Imperial Regime and it is clearly now ending. Germany sits down with Russia and talks about alternatives to the US SWIFT exchange, the lynchpin of inter-imperialism was controlling the digital exchange mechanism. The light at the end of the tunnel is growing stronger and what comes from it is an entirely new political world; exciting times. Yes, Trump is radically contradictory , a fascist domestically , but reintroducing inter-imperialist rivalry _as farce_ the second time; tragedy the first time in WWI .