[I don't know about Chase-Dunn and 'market socialism'. In this 1999 article
on "Globalization: a World Systems Perspective", he calls for soft-pedaling
opposition to WTO and throwing one's support behind a 'global state'
whatever its class character. Although I lack sufficient motivation to read
Hardt-Negri's "Empire", it seems that the same kind of neo-Bernsteinism is
at work here. Tendencies toward political/economic monopoly across national
boundaries are hailed on the basis of accelerating the formation of the
objective basis for world socialism. In fact such processes only helped to
pave the way for WWI. The nationalism that Chase-Dunn decries is merely the
dialectical twin of structures such as FTAA or WTO. Socialism will only be
achieved by arming the working class and smashing all such structures
whether they are confined to a single nation-state or extend globally.]
http://csf.colorado.edu/jwsr/archive/vol5/vol5_number2/html/chase-dunn/index
.shtml
Of course, capitalists know as well as others that effective adjudication
means the establishment of a global monopoly of legitimate violence. The
process of state formation has a long history, and the king's army needs to
be bigger than any combination of private armies which might be brought
against him. While the idea of a world state may be a frightening specter
to some, I am optimistic about it for several reasons. First, a world state
is probably the most direct and stable way to prevent nuclear holocaust, a
desideratum which must be at the top of everyone's list. Secondly, the
creation of a global state which can peacefully adjudicate disputes among
nations will transform the existing interstate system. The interstate
system is the political structure which stands behind the maneuverability
of capital and its ability to escape organized workers and other social
constraints on profitable accumulation. While a world state may at first be
dominated by capitalists, the very existence of such a state will provide a
single focus for struggles to socially regulate investment decisions and to
create a more balanced, egalitarian and ecologically sound form of
production and distribution.
The progressive response to neoliberalism needs to be organized at
national, international and global levels if it is to succeed. Democratic
socialists should be wary of strategies that focus only on economic
nationalism and national autarchy as a response to economic globalization.
Socialism in one country has never worked in the past and it certainly will
not work in a world that is more interlinked than ever before. The old
forms of progressive internationalism were somewhat premature, but
internationalism has finally become not only desirable but necessary. This
does not mean that local, regional and national-level struggles are
irrelevant. They are just as relevant as they always have been. But, they
need to also have a global strategy and global-level cooperation lest they
be isolated and defeated. Communications technology can certainly be an
important tool for the kinds of long-distance interactions that will be
required for truly international cooperation and coordination among popular
movements. It would be a mistake to pit global strategies against national
or local ones. All fronts should be the focus of a coordinated effort.
W. Warren Wagar (1996) has proposed the formation of a "World Party" as an
instrument of "mundialization" -- the creation of a global socialist
commonwealth. His proposal has been critiqued from many angles -- as a
throw-back to the Third International, etc. I suggest that Wagar's idea is
a good one, and that a party of the sort he is advocating will indeed
emerge and that it will contribute a great deal toward bringing about a
more humane world-system. Self-doubt and post-modern reticence may make
such a direct approach appear Napoleonic. It is certainly necessary to
learn from past mistakes, but this should not prevent us debating the pros
and cons of positive action.
The international segment of the world capitalist class is indeed moving
slowly toward global state formation. The World Trade Organization is only
the latest element in this process. Rather than simply oppose this move
with a return to nationalism, progressives should make every effort to
organize social and political globalization, and to democratize the
emerging global state. We need to prevent the normal operation of the
interstate system and future hegemonic rivalry from causing another war
among core powers (e.g, Wagar 1992; see also Chase-Dunn and Bornschier
1998). And, we need to shape the emerging world society into a global
democratic commonwealth based on collective rationality, liberty and
equality. This possibility is present in existing and evolving structures.
The agents are all those who are tired of wars and hatred and who desire a
humane, sustainable and fair world-system. This is certainly a majority of
the people of the Earth.
Louis Proyect
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