Imperialism

Simon Pirani — Israel’s murderous onslaught on civilians is something that Israel’s war on the Palestinians and Russia’s war on Ukraine have in common. This is what empires do in the 21st century: the western empire that supports Israel and the weaker Russian empire.

Fourth International — The wars we are facing are linked to the global crisis of capitalism and the resulting headlong rush into conflict between rival imperialist powers.

Claudio Katz talks about the need to avoid looking at imperialism in purely economic terms, the rise of what he terms an “imperial system” and the complexities of anti-imperialism in the 21st century.

William I. Robinson discusses the rise of transnational class exploitation and how contradictions between a globally integrated economy and a nation-state-based system help explain rising US-China tensions.

Sarah Glynn — Turkey, Iran, and President Assad’s government are in competition for control over the land of Syria, but there is one thing they all agree on: control should not be in the hands of the people who live there, especially if they are Kurds with dangerous ideas about radical democracy.

Renfrey Clarke — Few questions of international politics have seen the Western left as sharply divided as the war in Ukraine. But there is no good reason why Marxists, with the writings of Vladimir Lenin at their disposal, should lack clarity on how to analyse the war.

Murray Smith — Throughout history, solidarity has helped achieve the only possible acceptable peace — one guaranteeing defeat of the aggressor and the victim to live free of the threat of renewed assault. That must be the goal of the European Left in relation to Ukraine.

Michael Roberts talks about the realities of imperialism today and how much — or, rather, how little — has changed since Vladimir Lenin wrote his book on the subject.

Ammar Ali Jan discusses global politics, growing tensions between the United States and China, the impacts of this on Pakistan and implications for anti-imperialism in the Global South today.

Esteban Mercatante discusses how recent global shifts in processes of capital accumulation have contributed to China’s rise, the new (and old) mechanisms big powers use to plunder the Global South, and its implications for anti-imperialist and working-class struggles today.

Promise Li discusses the complex realities of 21st century imperialism — where economic interdependence across geopolitical blocs in tension shapes inter-imperialist rivalry — and the kind of anti-war and anti-imperialist solidarity we need today.