[lbo-talk] Superprofits: An Attempt To List Basic Principles And Questions

Dwayne Monroe idoru345 at yahoo.com
Tue Nov 4 18:00:00 PST 2003


Hard historical and economic data is now needed to move an investigation into this matter beyond the realm of opinion and counter-opinion. Here's an incomplete attempt to list common points of agreement and important questions to be answered.

...

* Western wealth was built upon the exploitation of colonial territories and slave labor during the period begun in the 15th century.

* Countries that were spared colonization (Japan) or, at an early stage, broke free (the United States) have been able to take advantage of spaces of movement created by short-term circumstances (such as: Japan becoming a manufacturing power, first following the Edo harbor incident during the 19th century and later, again, in the shadow of the cold war by helping to arm the US during the Korean and Vietnam wars among other factors).

* Countries that achieved liberation from colonialism in the post World War Two period have been unable, for the most part, to develop fully. This is due, to what extent is in dispute, to internal despotism, incomplete modernization of technique and habits of thought and Western meddling (more often than not supporting internal despotism).

* The purpose of Western meddling (following the end of the 'great game' played by the US and the USSR) is disputed. Is it for purely economic reasons, an advanced stage capitalist version of colonialism? Is it for simple geopolitical dominance, partially in support of corporate profits maximization? Or is there some other reason(s) not yet described adequately?

* It may not be that western wealth is today sustained by 'third world' immiseration but Western jousissance certainly is.

DRM

===== "All parts should go together without forcing. You must remember that the parts you are reassembling were disassembled by you. Therefore, if you can't get them together again, there must be a reason. By all means, do not use a hammer."

--IBM maintenance manual, 1975

__________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Protect your identity with Yahoo! Mail AddressGuard http://antispam.yahoo.com/whatsnewfree



More information about the lbo-talk mailing list