>They're net exporters of capital, they're arms markets, they're
>dumping grounds, they're sources of cheap labor and raw materials;
>they give the military practice opportunities.
These are all true, but how important are they to profit-making in general? Total debt service was around $380 billion in 2001 (latest year availailable) - that compares to about $40-50 trillion total world product, $10-11 trillion U.S. alone.
AND
Not historically - there's no question the colonies made Europe's takeoff possible. I'm talking about now - what is the contribution of the poor countries to accumulation? Places like Brazil are subordinate to some degree, but also have their own regimes of accumulation, and exercise hegemony over weaker neighbors. Places like Africa are fairly marginal to accumulation, which is why they're so poor.
Minerals are important, but they're not the motor of the system.
IMF regimes are political weapons, designed to maintain a hierarchy and keep countries in the system. I'm really asking about the economics of imperialism - what is the Southern contribution to value production?
^^^^^^
CB: Does imperialism profit by its colonies or is imperialism just a control freak ? Why is the U.S. military in 100 countries around the world ? Is it just US totalitarianism ? Nietschean irrationality ? Leftover from the Cold War ?