"...won't be a military war; at least, not on the whole. " ..
What was the definition of Imperialism, anyway? Process of capital accumulation, monopoly of organized finance and industrial capital forming an oligarchy.. and the face of the world divided, conquered and re-divided. Though Lenin's definition has a bit of faults here and there, the "Self-serving Analysis" of the Left probably might consider starting over from the classic that contributed so much to October 17th(November 7th), 1917.
Since the Revolution (with a capital 'R' )was expected and it seemed it was on its way any moment, no hard-line Bolshevik would have bothered to think about what would happen IF the Revolution was 'betrayed(from Trotsky)'. At least not until they reached 1930. Even then, hardly, would they have expected that the silent pact of the Cold War would come and last so long.
OK. So came 1989, so went USSR into history. Capitalist triumphalism is at its peak, so then.. WHY did the US invade Iraq 2 times? Why is the world looking (still) so wobbly? USSR met it's ultimate demise, just the way Trotsky predicted it would: inner collapse. Then supposedly, there is no more vile, demonic entity trying to gobble up the West anymore. Why do we still have these 'hot-little' wars?
Something to do with the long-term solidarity and uniform blockade against USSR, mayhap? Since, now then, there is no more a USSR to set the blockade up to, can it be that the alliance of the West which has been so firm for half a century has began to erode? If so? What would this mean?
Would it mean that the economic Imperialism of 1875~1945 is reincarnated once again? That the predicted downfall by internal reactions of the capitalist paradox was delayed for long enough?
Certainly, no Western state was eager to help out the US against Vietnam, or was anxious to pay the money which was needed to pulvarize Iraq. At least, all the majority of so-called multinational military efforts seems to be financed, directed, and put in to action by US alone, nowadays. Japan seems to be more than willing to be a top-dog themselves in the Eastern front, which worries it's neighbors very very much.. and the 'paper-tiger' of Russia still has some choice-words to say about the Balkan invasion of NATO. The continent of Europe seems to have that slick and cynical smile in the corner of the mouth. How long will America last? More importantly, how long will the effects of the Cold War solidarity last?
If Lenin had even an inkling of a correct idea (which everybody seems to laugh on, nowadays), if the world powers once again decided they needed some serious debating on the results of the world economy, will they take up arms once more? As they did in 1914? Or, 1939?
The boundaries of the Western alliance are heating up more than ever. Iraq seems more than willing to become the "king" of their little hill of Middle East. Indians and Pakistans are frowning (as they always have), North Korea's coming cool, but then the South is talking about arming itself to a "more modern" status. Japan mentions about nuclear armament (again), China feels cocky.
OK, people don't prefer nukes these days. At least, they are not dumb. But, if anyone has the confidence that they can manage a war, fight it through with calculated risks, what force this time, will be able to stop them? UN played sucker to the NATO invasions of the Balkans. As they did when Indonesia invaded East-Timor. (And all sorts of other little "invasions" America attempted in the Latin Americas).
Oh dear, I'm rambling!
So many questions! Hardly any of them with critical insight or realistic analysis. Imagination running wild.
Theories of Imperialism certainly didn't seem to work during the Cold-War. But then again, I've never heard that it had died out, either. If it's hiding behind that little shadow of the United (Capitalist) Nations, I think it's about time they begin flaring up again like those old hemorroids that just don't seem to go away.
Yup, what WAS Imperialism anyway?
Why did they fight like that in 1914, or 1939?
Will they ever fight again?
None.
