The most important question about culture and imperialism is probably not what masses consume (for masses, save under exceptionally turbulent circumstances, have a hard time exercising hegemony over the political economy of their respective nations under capitalism or state socialism) as what the power elite, and elite workers who culturally, politically, or administratively serve the power elite, consume, say, the top 20% of a nation in the South and the top 30-40% of a nation in the North. If you win their hearts and minds, you may be certain that they will run their country in a way that will not hurt your interests, whatever the lower orders think, though it will help if they, too, like you, which will diminish the likelihood of unpleasant surprises.
A Mexican director may win an Oscar, but education in American capitalism has certainly been winning the highest political office in Mexico since 1982:
Felipe Calderón (2006-Present), Master's in Public Administration, Harvard University Vicente Fox (2000-2006), attended classes at Harvard University and worked for Coca Cola Ernesto Zedillo (1994-2000), Ph.D. in Economics, Yale University Carlos Salinas (1988-1994), Master's in Public Administration, Master's in Economics, Ph.D. in Economics, Harvard University Miguel de la Madrid (1982-1988), Master's in Public Administration, Harvard University
Mexico (like Panama and the Philippines), to be sure, is probably one of the most extreme examples, but it is certainly worth looking into the education in particular and culture in general of the power elite and classes and strata that produce them in each nation.
>> New York Times - February 22, 2007
>> <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/22/business/22scene.html>
>>
>> Some Countries Remain Resistant to American Cultural Exports
>> By TYLER COWEN
>>
>> American movies and music have done very well in some countries like
>> Sweden and less well in others like India. This may sound like a
>> simple difference in human tastes, but decisions to consume culture
>> have an economic aspect.
>
> Notice, of course, setting the whole stage for his argument that 1.
> this is relevant to for economists to consider and 2. the question of
> culture is about "choice" and "consumption"
Also, we should delve into the content of those local products and see whether they convey alternative visions to the American dream of capitalism . . . and whether some of them don't sell capitalism in a way that would make Hollywood blush.
E.g.,
Milind Wani, Manju Menon, and Kanchi Kohli, "Picturing Reality," a review of Guru (Dir. Mani Ratnam, 2007), whose hero's goal is to make his company the biggest in the world, <http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/wmk150207.html>.
Aarti Wani, "Uses of History: Rang De Basanti and Lage Raho Munnabhai," <http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/wani120207.html>. -- Yoshie <http://montages.blogspot.com/> <http://mrzine.org> <http://monthlyreview.org/>