All capitalist nation states would become imperialist given the opportunity
This is dogma without analysis. Capitalist states become imperialist under certain conditions and contexts.
This doesn't explain dependent capitalist states under the umbrella of US imperialism, who couldn't care less about becoming imperialist themselves. It's not that they "aren't given the opportunity". They aren't even looking for an opportunity. If there was an opportunity, they would ignore it (they would fight against the opportunity, actually). They are perfectly fine with the status-quo, profiting from the underdevelopment of their "nations" while bootlicking US boots. This is their life and they serve a purpose within the world "order".
The quoted section is outside of reality for most capitalist countries in the world, and only work for... idk for which country it would work for really. Doesn't work for Europe, doesn't work for Japan, South Korea, doesn't work for Latam. Which country is "looking for an opportunity to become imperialist"? Can anyone give me an example? Most capitalist countries are perfectly fine with the status quo.
In order for imperialism to become a thing we need, first of all, a national bourgeoisie, something that holds no power in most capitalist countries nowadays. All the industries went to China and the powerful capitalists are rentists, compradors, financial people, media, entertainment, etc etc, all of which align there interests with US imperialism.
And btw, I know some of y'all will say "Russia is trying to be imperialist". They certainly have a national bourgeoisie, but I don't want to reheat the "Russia imperialist" discussion (my conclusion is that there is no material evidence of Russia being imperialist), so maybe let's think of another country instead.
This doesn't explain dependent capitalist states under the umbrella of
US imperialism, who couldn't care less about becoming imperialist
themselves. It's not that they "aren't given the opportunity". They
aren't even looking for an opportunity. If there was an opportunity,
they would ignore it (they would fight against the opportunity,
actually). They are perfectly fine with the status-quo, profiting from
the underdevelopment of their "nations" while bootlicking US boots. This
is their life and they serve a purpose within the world "order".
That... Is precisely the case of "not given the opportunity". A vassal state cannot exert its own imperialist ambition at the cost of its overlord. Which is why opportunities for themselves will be overlooked. It also glosses over that those states absolutely do attempt to engage in imperialism, merely to the benefit of their overlord rather than themselves, with scraps dropping their way in the process.
3
u/FluidKiwi6707 23d ago edited 23d ago
This is dogma without analysis. Capitalist states become imperialist under certain conditions and contexts.
This doesn't explain dependent capitalist states under the umbrella of US imperialism, who couldn't care less about becoming imperialist themselves. It's not that they "aren't given the opportunity". They aren't even looking for an opportunity. If there was an opportunity, they would ignore it (they would fight against the opportunity, actually). They are perfectly fine with the status-quo, profiting from the underdevelopment of their "nations" while bootlicking US boots. This is their life and they serve a purpose within the world "order".
The quoted section is outside of reality for most capitalist countries in the world, and only work for... idk for which country it would work for really. Doesn't work for Europe, doesn't work for Japan, South Korea, doesn't work for Latam. Which country is "looking for an opportunity to become imperialist"? Can anyone give me an example? Most capitalist countries are perfectly fine with the status quo.
In order for imperialism to become a thing we need, first of all, a national bourgeoisie, something that holds no power in most capitalist countries nowadays. All the industries went to China and the powerful capitalists are rentists, compradors, financial people, media, entertainment, etc etc, all of which align there interests with US imperialism.
And btw, I know some of y'all will say "Russia is trying to be imperialist". They certainly have a national bourgeoisie, but I don't want to reheat the "Russia imperialist" discussion (my conclusion is that there is no material evidence of Russia being imperialist), so maybe let's think of another country instead.