This is incredibly ignorant. Analysis of imperialism is crucial because it explains why the global south has largely remained underdeveloped while western countries prosper, why workers in the west are more likely to not support revolution, and how we solve both of those problems. Without analyzing the mechanics of imperialism, and instead just pretend its a thing purely of the past, any org will be helpless to stop it.
Same with decrying the utility of theory. Correct practice is informed by correct theory, and affirms or denies what we think of as correct theory. It’s a cycle driven by practice that helps us more accurately tackle the struggles we face.
I bet I can describe the mechanisms of imperialism better than you, because I’m not weighed down by a weird religion
I just witnessed something strange while doing a job in the “global south”, and started reading. And kept reading. There was no analytical lens required. It’s all pretty naked and unapologetic
After WW2 the US came in with warships and made deals at gunpoint, but while also “offering” industrialization. Today, the IMF and the world Bank keep nations on debt treadmills to force austerity under threat of being removed from the global trade network, as their natural resources are drained away under those deals
It’s not complex. No further reading required to understand, further reading will just expand on that short paragraph I just wrote. No special analytical lens required to view it, it’s just the uncomfortable truth. It just gets worse as you dig into it
There’s no religion in analyzing imperialism, nor is there any advantage to refusing to analyze it, its causes, and how we can stop it as I already explained. You keep comparing social science to religion, as though trying to reach a deeper understanding of anything is useless.
No, I’m saying your glasses are broken. They’re not helping you see more clearly, they’re blurring reality
That’s why I called it a weird religion.
Imperialism isn’t some shadowy force. It’s just a bad thing being done to others out in the open. On its face, it’s unfair. You don’t have to prepare people to understand why it’s unfair, they just have to believe you when you point at it
Do you think China doesn’t do imperialism? Do you think the USSR was being benevolent when it did the same thing, just a little more fairly and a better message?
If you can understand these examples of imperialism, I’m willing to take back my claim that your glasses are broken
If you reduce imperialism to “bad vibes” like you’re doing, then you fail to explain the concrete reality of the situation. No, the USSR and PRC aren’t imperialist, they don’t expropriate vast sums of wealth from the global south, and instead trade with both countries results in the global south breaking the chains of imperialism and escaping the underdevelopment trap.
You’re illustrating exactly why refusing to analyze imperialism is a mistake, it isn’t because China is “benevolent,” but because they don’t have the same forces that drive imperialism, namely dominance of finance capital in the economy and the formation of colonies or neocolonies.
It’s not that I don’t “understand” so-called soviet or Chinese imperialism, it’s that I understand that these do not exist. I personally don’t need your approval, especially when you call social science and analysis “religion” and are arguing against study.
No, imperialism isn’t bad vibes. It’s when you build a factory in Africa, but the owners of the company are a Chinese investment group. It’s where the value doesn’t flow around the community, it’s where it gets sucked up and extracted
And it’s good for a while - the workers are making bank… Until their economy starts to catch up
Then you have an industrialized country, but half of the profits go to China, or pays the interest on debts to China
Belts and roads is China first. It’s Chinese economic imperialism. It’s the same forces, they want to offshore manufacturing and create beneficial trading partners. And they’re not trying to lose money doing it, they’re trying to hand out loans and make investments
It’s the same forces. It’s just a kinder approach to the process, but then everyone does it that way now
Your glasses are broken. Your analytical lens is making you fail to see the world clearly
See, you would be correct if that was actually what’s happening, but it isn’t. Your glasses are broken, and your refusal to analyze and understand is why you insert fan-theories in place of analysis.
BRI is not imperialism, and value does circulate in countries that trade with China. It is absolutely not the ssme forces, China isn’t under the control of a financial oligarchy and doesn’t expropriate wealth. Trade is not imperialism.
How many billionaires does China have? The answer would be zero if what you say is true
But it’s not.
I see China clearly. I don’t like their authoritarianism, but at least they’re nation building. They’re a very big county, with lots of problems, but they are at least attempting to address them
I can see both what they do well and what they do poorly. My number one take away from them is how important and achievable it is to reign in corporations
How is social science religion? You never explain this, you just equate any attempt to study a given phenomenon to religion. As for China having billionaires, that’s true, but doesn’t at all contradict what I said. I suggest reading China Has Billionaires. China does have areas for improvement, but it isn’t imperialist.
This is incredibly ignorant. Analysis of imperialism is crucial because it explains why the global south has largely remained underdeveloped while western countries prosper, why workers in the west are more likely to not support revolution, and how we solve both of those problems. Without analyzing the mechanics of imperialism, and instead just pretend its a thing purely of the past, any org will be helpless to stop it.
Same with decrying the utility of theory. Correct practice is informed by correct theory, and affirms or denies what we think of as correct theory. It’s a cycle driven by practice that helps us more accurately tackle the struggles we face.
I bet I can describe the mechanisms of imperialism better than you, because I’m not weighed down by a weird religion
I just witnessed something strange while doing a job in the “global south”, and started reading. And kept reading. There was no analytical lens required. It’s all pretty naked and unapologetic
After WW2 the US came in with warships and made deals at gunpoint, but while also “offering” industrialization. Today, the IMF and the world Bank keep nations on debt treadmills to force austerity under threat of being removed from the global trade network, as their natural resources are drained away under those deals
It’s not complex. No further reading required to understand, further reading will just expand on that short paragraph I just wrote. No special analytical lens required to view it, it’s just the uncomfortable truth. It just gets worse as you dig into it
There’s no religion in analyzing imperialism, nor is there any advantage to refusing to analyze it, its causes, and how we can stop it as I already explained. You keep comparing social science to religion, as though trying to reach a deeper understanding of anything is useless.
No, I’m saying your glasses are broken. They’re not helping you see more clearly, they’re blurring reality
That’s why I called it a weird religion.
Imperialism isn’t some shadowy force. It’s just a bad thing being done to others out in the open. On its face, it’s unfair. You don’t have to prepare people to understand why it’s unfair, they just have to believe you when you point at it
Do you think China doesn’t do imperialism? Do you think the USSR was being benevolent when it did the same thing, just a little more fairly and a better message?
If you can understand these examples of imperialism, I’m willing to take back my claim that your glasses are broken
If you reduce imperialism to “bad vibes” like you’re doing, then you fail to explain the concrete reality of the situation. No, the USSR and PRC aren’t imperialist, they don’t expropriate vast sums of wealth from the global south, and instead trade with both countries results in the global south breaking the chains of imperialism and escaping the underdevelopment trap.
You’re illustrating exactly why refusing to analyze imperialism is a mistake, it isn’t because China is “benevolent,” but because they don’t have the same forces that drive imperialism, namely dominance of finance capital in the economy and the formation of colonies or neocolonies.
It’s not that I don’t “understand” so-called soviet or Chinese imperialism, it’s that I understand that these do not exist. I personally don’t need your approval, especially when you call social science and analysis “religion” and are arguing against study.
No, imperialism isn’t bad vibes. It’s when you build a factory in Africa, but the owners of the company are a Chinese investment group. It’s where the value doesn’t flow around the community, it’s where it gets sucked up and extracted
And it’s good for a while - the workers are making bank… Until their economy starts to catch up
Then you have an industrialized country, but half of the profits go to China, or pays the interest on debts to China
Belts and roads is China first. It’s Chinese economic imperialism. It’s the same forces, they want to offshore manufacturing and create beneficial trading partners. And they’re not trying to lose money doing it, they’re trying to hand out loans and make investments
It’s the same forces. It’s just a kinder approach to the process, but then everyone does it that way now
Your glasses are broken. Your analytical lens is making you fail to see the world clearly
See, you would be correct if that was actually what’s happening, but it isn’t. Your glasses are broken, and your refusal to analyze and understand is why you insert fan-theories in place of analysis.
BRI is not imperialism, and value does circulate in countries that trade with China. It is absolutely not the ssme forces, China isn’t under the control of a financial oligarchy and doesn’t expropriate wealth. Trade is not imperialism.
And that sounds like religion to me
How many billionaires does China have? The answer would be zero if what you say is true
But it’s not.
I see China clearly. I don’t like their authoritarianism, but at least they’re nation building. They’re a very big county, with lots of problems, but they are at least attempting to address them
I can see both what they do well and what they do poorly. My number one take away from them is how important and achievable it is to reign in corporations
How is social science religion? You never explain this, you just equate any attempt to study a given phenomenon to religion. As for China having billionaires, that’s true, but doesn’t at all contradict what I said. I suggest reading China Has Billionaires. China does have areas for improvement, but it isn’t imperialist.