What is the difference between imperialism and social-imperialism?
I would love to hear a proper answer to this. Doesn’t the implication of social-imperialism contradict the base–superstructure model of dialectical materialism?
The term “social-imperialism” was invented by Trotskyists to justify their habit of attacking and denigrating the USSR and adopting a “both sides bad” stance to the global class war (aka the “cold war”). The USSR was constantly slandered as “social-imperialist” by the imperialism-compatible western left. It is a meaningless label that was only made up to somehow try to square the circle of a socialist country that was the greatest enemy of the capitalist imperialist camp and that contributed more than any other power in history to decolonization and liberation movements in the global south allegedly being at the same time itself imperialist. It made no sense then and it makes no sense now for the PRC.
How can a country be imperialist when it is socialist? The very notion goes against Lenin’s recognition of imperialism as the highest stage of capitalism. The simple answer is that it cannot. This is why it is vital for those seeking to muddy the waters and confuse the global proletariat, if they wish to be able to credibly label China as imperialist, to first deny China’s socialist nature. Hence all the accusations you hear of “state-capitalism”, China being “socialist in name only”, etc. This is much more effective than the whole “social-imperialism” angle that the average person is not gonna understand unless they are already a dyed in the wool ultra-leftist fully immersed in Trotskyist/Maoist dogma and terminology.
Ironically, the closest definition you can get for “social imperialism” when pressing Maoists is just cultural imperialism. Which of course the United States and the West are the core proponents of. Which also makes little sense, because if China was “lying” why keep up the veneer of socialism??? It would be insanely more profitable for the bourgeoisie to just become a liberal bourgeoisie representative “democracy” and fully integrate into the West’s economy.
I honestly can’t think of a single instance of China directly influencing a target country with a “social” or cultural imperialist model. Even the DPRK, who has been intimately tied to China socially, economically, and politically for the past 70 years is almost largely unaffected by China in every aspect. On the flip side, what is Canada other then a simple America 2.0 after decades of direct US influence?
I would love to hear a proper answer to this. Doesn’t the implication of social-imperialism contradict the base–superstructure model of dialectical materialism?
The term “social-imperialism” was invented by Trotskyists to justify their habit of attacking and denigrating the USSR and adopting a “both sides bad” stance to the global class war (aka the “cold war”). The USSR was constantly slandered as “social-imperialist” by the imperialism-compatible western left. It is a meaningless label that was only made up to somehow try to square the circle of a socialist country that was the greatest enemy of the capitalist imperialist camp and that contributed more than any other power in history to decolonization and liberation movements in the global south allegedly being at the same time itself imperialist. It made no sense then and it makes no sense now for the PRC.
How can a country be imperialist when it is socialist? The very notion goes against Lenin’s recognition of imperialism as the highest stage of capitalism. The simple answer is that it cannot. This is why it is vital for those seeking to muddy the waters and confuse the global proletariat, if they wish to be able to credibly label China as imperialist, to first deny China’s socialist nature. Hence all the accusations you hear of “state-capitalism”, China being “socialist in name only”, etc. This is much more effective than the whole “social-imperialism” angle that the average person is not gonna understand unless they are already a dyed in the wool ultra-leftist fully immersed in Trotskyist/Maoist dogma and terminology.
Ironically, the closest definition you can get for “social imperialism” when pressing Maoists is just cultural imperialism. Which of course the United States and the West are the core proponents of. Which also makes little sense, because if China was “lying” why keep up the veneer of socialism??? It would be insanely more profitable for the bourgeoisie to just become a liberal bourgeoisie representative “democracy” and fully integrate into the West’s economy.
I honestly can’t think of a single instance of China directly influencing a target country with a “social” or cultural imperialist model. Even the DPRK, who has been intimately tied to China socially, economically, and politically for the past 70 years is almost largely unaffected by China in every aspect. On the flip side, what is Canada other then a simple America 2.0 after decades of direct US influence?