Shimshon Bichler and Jonathan Nitzan. 2009. "Imperialism and
Financialism. A Story of a Nexus". Monograph, Jerusalem and Montreal
(September), pp. 1-21.
ABSTRACT:
Over the past century, Marxism has been radically transformed in line
with circumstances and fashion. Theses that once looked solid have
depreciated and fallen by the sideline; concepts that once were deemed
crucial have been abandoned; slogans that once sounded clear and
meaningful have become fuzzy and ineffectual.
But two key words seem to have survived the attrition and withstood the
test of time: imperialism and financialism.
Talk of imperialism and financialism – and particularly of the nexus
between them – remains as catchy as ever. Marxists of different colours
– from classical, to neo to post – find the two terms expedient, if not
indispensable. Radical anarchists, conservative Stalinists and
distinguished academics of various denominations all continue to use and
debate them. The views of course differ greatly, but there is a common
thread: for most Marxists, imperialism and financialism are prime causes
of our worldly ills. Their nexus is said to explain capitalist
development and underdevelopment; it underlies capitalist power and
contradictions; and it drives capitalist globalization, its regional
realignment and local dynamics. It is a fit-all logo for street
demonstrators and a generic battle cry for armchair analysts.
The secret behind this staying power is flexibility. Over the years, the
concepts of imperialism and financialism have changed more or less
beyond recognition, as a result of which the link between them nowadays
connotes something totally different from what it meant a century ago.
The purpose of this article is to outline this chameleon-like
transformation, to assess what is left of the nexus and to ask whether
this nexus is still worth keeping.
FULL TEXT: http://bnarchives.yorku.ca/267/
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Jonathan Nitzan
Political Science
York University
4700 Keele St.
Toronto, Ontario, M3J-1P3
Canada
Voice: (416) 736-2100, ext. 88822
Fax: (416) 736-5686
Email: nitzan at yorku.ca
Website: http://bnarchives.net
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