On 1/23/2026 10:02 AM, hari kumar via groups.io wrote:
The “anti-USA” resistance of some of the “middle Powers” – is not
unexpected. Nor is it either uniform or quick or, at present,
irrevocable. It definitely fits the description of history in a
“zig-zag” or the “parallelogram of forces” – as labelled by Frederick
Engels
Thanks Hari, and maybe we can chat in person about all this in early May.
However, isn't there a better framing for this process of subimperial
states (and to some extent capitals) questioning the imperial power,
namely 'antagonistic cooperation' as defined by Marini?
***
Writing in Monthly Review in 1972, Marini (1972: 16) considered how,
after the U.S.-assisted coup in 1964, Washington readily assimilated
Brasilia’s interests. By then, Brazilian subimperialism was “the form
which dependent capitalism assumes upon reaching the stage of monopolies
and finance capital.” Marini relied upon August Thalheimer’s 1946
concept of the sometimes-conflictual relationship between imperialism
and subimperialism, boiling down to ‘antagonistic cooperation.’ This
entailed imperialist plus subimperialist “Cooperation against the
abolition of colonial rule and exploitation in general and against the
socialist sphere, and competition for a share in the exploitation of the
colonial territories.”
Michael Pröbsting (2015) contests the applicability of Thalheimer to the
current conjuncture because,
“the German communist viewed his term ‘antagonistic cooperation’ as
a description of the situation after WWII. But he recognised that
the cooperation between imperialist powers was based on the
overriding class contradictions between the Western powers and the
expanding Stalinist camp, and on the absolute superiority of the US.
Hence his analysis of inter-imperialist cooperation was based on
these conjunctural features. Consequently, Thalheimer’s view of the
world order was not one of ‘cooperation’ but rather of a looming
World War III, as the imperialist alliance was based on collective
aggression against the Stalinist camp (the degenerated workers’
states).”
The most important recent study was by Promise Li, in 2024:
“antagonistic cooperation understands the imperialist system as an
interdependent totality that can accommodate interdependence between
and beyond geopolitical blocs... there are hree main characteristics
of antagonistic cooperation: 1) the coexistence of a degree of
antagonism between imperialist countries, empires-in-formation, and
other intermediate, subimperial, and regional hegemons with their
interdependence and cooperation; 2) the key role intermediate and
regional economies play in maintaining global accumulation by
developing a degree of political and economic autonomy to interface
between geopolitical antagonisms; 3) the ever-deepening fusion of
finance and state-led industrial capital that secures these two
characteristics.”
Li, P., 2024. ‘Imperialism: Antagonistic cooperation or antagonistic
contradictions. Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal.
Available at: https://links.org.au/node/7133
***
As for Carney in Davos, yes, he offers an interesting auto-critique of
subimperialism (politely self-described as 'middle power' status):
"For decades, countries like Canada prospered under what we called
the rules-based international order. We joined its institutions,
praised its principles, and benefited from its predictability. We
could pursue values-based foreign policies under its protection. We
knew the story of the international rules-based order was partially
false. That the strongest would exempt themselves when convenient.
That trade rules were enforced asymmetrically. And that
international law applied with varying rigour depending on the
identity of the accused or the victim. This fiction was useful, and
American hegemony, in particular, helped provide public goods: open
sea lanes, a stable financial system, collective security, and
support for frameworks for resolving disputes. So, we placed the
sign in the window. We participated in the rituals. And largely
avoided calling out the gaps between rhetoric and reality... Over
the past two decades, a series of crises in finance, health, energy,
and geopolitics laid bare the risks of extreme global integration."
But having offered this autocritique, Carney - formerly a neoliberal
central banker for both Canada and the UK - immediately returns to the
scene of the crime:
"Since my government took office, we have cut taxes on incomes,
capital gains and business investment, we have removed all federal
barriers to interprovincial trade, and we are fast-tracking a
trillion dollars of investment in energy, AI, critical minerals, new
trade corridors, and beyond. We are doubling our defence spending by
2030 and are doing so in ways that builds our domestic industries.
We are rapidly diversifying abroad. We have agreed a comprehensive
strategic partnership with the European Union, including joining
SAFE, Europe’s defence procurement arrangements. We have signed
twelve other trade and security deals on four continents in the last
six months. In the past few days, we have concluded new strategic
partnerships with China and Qatar. We are negotiating free trade
pacts with India, ASEAN, Thailand, Philippines, Mercosur."
This is a manifesto for an eloquent subimperialism, hoping actually to
return straightaway to "extreme global integration." It should be
soundly rejected. Along with - typical of subimperialism, whether i the
West or BRICS - Canada's support for Israel:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Sjg8r43vPMc and
https://www.cjpme.org/pr_2025_03_10_carney_israel_genocide_gaza
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