Imperialism : pioneer of capitalism

Introduction John Sender — xi

Part One: The Development of the Marxist Theory of Imperialism

1. Progressive Imperialism and the Utopian Left — 1

1. For a Marxist Re-Evaluation of the Theory of Imperialism — 3
2. Schematic Outline of the Arguments — 7

2. Capitalism and Historical Progress — 11

1. Capitalism and Material Progress — 11
2. Capitalism and Cultural Progress — 18
3. Capitalism as the Bridge to Socialism — 25
4. Progressive Capitalism and the Bolshevik Revolution — 30
5. The Imperialist Mission of Capitalism — 39
6. Progressive Capitalism and Reactionary Imperialism — 46

3. About-Turn: Lenin’s ‘Imperialism’ — 48

1. Problems of Social Progress in the Developed and Underdeveloped World — 48
2. Lenin’s Basic Arguments — 50
3. The Export of Capital — 57
4. The Phase of Economic Regression in the Advanced Capitalist Countries — 70
5. Backward Capitalism in the Third World — 81

4. The Theory of Imperialism in the International Communist Movement — 84

1. The Nation-State and the Theory of Imperialism — 84
2. Lenin’s Position Before 1917 — 88
3. The Evolution of Comintern Policy — 94
4. The Comintern’s Conclusion — 108

5. Post-War Marxist Analysis of Imperialism — 110

1. The Fiction of Underdevelopment — 111
2. Explaining the Non-Existent — 114
3. Theory of Imperialism and the National Bourgeoisie — 120

Part Two: The Rise of Third World Capitalism and the Positive Role of Imperialism

6. Colonialism: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde — 125

1. Morality and Historical Analysis — 125
2. The General Effects of Colonialism — 128
3. The Development of Underdevelopment — 139
• The Drain of Surplus — 140
• The International Division of Labour — 143
• Preservation of Archaic Modes of Production — 152

7. Dependency Theory as Nationalist Mythology — 157

1. Origins and Aims of Dependency Theory — 157
2. Dependency as a General Approach — 158
3. Limiting Assumptions and Some Alternative Hypotheses — 162
4. Structural Changes: Relations Between Poor and Rich Countries — 170

8. The Illusion of Underdevelopment: Facts of Post-War Progress — 186

1. Rising Per Capita GNP — 190
2. Growing Inequality? — 199
3. Marginalization — 211
4. Output, Consumption, and Welfare: — 224
• Indices Measuring Improvement in Welfare — 224
• Agricultural Performance — 235
5. Industrialization — 241
• Growth of Manufacturing Output — 241
• Share of Manufacturing in GDP — 244
• The Elitist Pattern of Manufacturing Output — 246
6. The Spread of Capitalism — 249

Bibliography — 257

Index — 271