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Pox Americana: Exposing the American EmpireAbout the Authors: John Bellamy Foster is an American journalist, sociologist, essayist and eco-sociologist. He is also editor of Monthly Review, which is a prominent Marxist magazine. He is also a professor of sociology at the University of Oregon.
Robert W.McChesney is a professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Illinois. He has written and edited sixteen books and some journal articles and book reviews. Mc Chesney is also the president and co-founder of Free-Press, which is a national media reform organization.
Synopsis:
U.S. current wars makes the observer to wonder whether there exist any similarity and link between new imperialism and the old one in19 century in the U.S. history. In 1898, with Spanish-American war and seizure of Spanish colonies in Caribbean, America emerged as a world power. By refusing to accept the existence of the new Philippine Republic, United - States publicly announced its intention to annex it entirely, and declare it a holy mission.
This part, the "Imperial Ambition" opens with an interview with Noam Chomsky and his opinion about American use of military force which is declared as "The national Security Strategy of the United Sates of America, which permits the use of force in the world. In this way U.S. would rule the world by force, and if there is a challenge against it U.S. will have the right to destroy the challenge before it becomes a treat; Chomsky calls this doctrine preventive war and not preemptive war and makes distinction between thee two: preventive war begins with no grounds in international law. The challenge, the treat can be invented or imagined and is not proven or evident. The point is that America calls it a new norm; to do this America has to select a defenseless target e.g. Afghanistan and Latter Iraq; and to prepare the stage for such wars they had to frighten American people that Bin laden or Saddam Hussein are a treat to their existence.
American imperialism has deep roots in its history and has close relationship with perception of white supremacy and racism. This ideology can be traced back to Christian Crusades, latter colonization of African countries and Latin America. The Declaration of Independence and latter the American constitution confirms this supremacy. Regarding U.S. -Indian treaties, white supremacy was the rationalization and ideology behind theft of Native American lands. So, the very origins of the United States are imperialistic.
Imperialism is an integral part of the capitalist world economy. In 1945 U.S. nation state became so strong and hegemonic and had military force which was unparalleled; as a result of the hegemonic power America also became culturally the center of the world. But around 1968 with the rise of economic rivals, U.S. defeat in Vietnam and world revolution, America's power and hegemony over the world began to decline. So, in order to keep their hegemony over the world, American leaders had two approaches: to persuade Western Europe, Japan and others they can have an alliance of semi- equal with the U.S. though America is the leader of them all; the second approach was called Washington Consensus: to substituted developmenalism with globalization and set out to impose this on the world. America at that period had three objectives: 1. The Counteroffensive of neoliberalism, 2. to deal with military treats and 3. To stop the European Union. After 9/11, which showed that U.S. was vulnerable the hawks entered the scene and diplomatic, multicultural approach was put aside. The war on Iraq was not for overthrowing a dictator or even for oil but to show that American could do it and intimidate both the people of the third world countries not to engage in nuclear proliferation and Europeans.
The imperialism practiced by few rich capitalist had dividend the world into rich and poor nations. The rich countries become richer by using poor counties resources. At the same time the imperialist nations of the world are competing with each other to extend their power over these resources; this completion is called geopolitics. These imperialist nations are not homogenous in their power and their completion some times leads to war. Out of this an imperial power will arise that will dictate and impose its own rule over other nations. America has been the hegemonic power since the Second World War. America's supremacy is partly due to possessing the world's primary currency. United States is willing to use its military force to keep its global hegemony whenever it is needed. But a global left, most of whom are socialist, are opposing American global program.
European countries and their Japanese counter parts are tiring to find ways to catch up with United States. The assumption is that U.S. economy more energetic and successful for its free enterprise nature and Europe's and Japan's old ways can not survive in the new order. But this assumption is not true. They fail to see that U.S. growth in 1990s was financed by borrowing from overseas (as America is the world's largest multicultural conglomerates). Despite this foreigners continue lend money to Americans because it is so productive. Anyhow Americans have a relative dominance over world's economy due to this flow of capital from Europe itself and the rest of the world. The reason why European nations were against the war in Iraq is that in this America will expand its domination over oil fields and intends to grant gigantic tax cuts to the richest of fellow Americans and at the same time boost governmental spending through defense budget.
But there is always struggle and resistance against imperialism in the history. The most significant movement against imperialism has taken place in the poor countries and the third world. The resistant groups are also active in America: a broad antiwar movement led to ending war in Vietnam. Though the term "war on terrorism" has persuaded many people that the war in Iraq is for defending American's right, nevertheless justice movement are still active and alive; these movements are a sort of mass social phenomenon which can lay the foundation for an anti-imperialist movement. But there must be an organized left presence to tie different movements and strands together.
For organizing an anti-war movement there is a need to gather all the help from contradictory objectives. So the movement needs to mobilize and combine the organizational resources and strategic potential of the labor movement, particularly the new generation of global justice activist; but the paradox here is that this goal is universal and internationalist while class power is reproduced nationally. To solve the problem a left movement should locate itself within both labor movement and other movements in the first world and to understand the old issue of state power in a new internationalist way in order to help to third world struggle.
*****
This book contains 15 essays on different aspects of American Imperialism which contains the leading left-wing and leading Marxist annalist of imperialism to examine the nature and prospects of U.S policy. Each essay is written by important figures that are critical toward Bush administration. In part one, US imperialism has long History: Noam Chomsky, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, John Bellamy Foster, Harry Magdoff, Robert McChesney and Immanuel Wallerstien have contributed to the part. Part two, Geopolitics and Political Economy of US Imperialism is written by William K Tabb, Klare and others. Part three, Resistance are written by samir Amin, Barbara Epstien, Bernardine Dohhen and... Although the book is written by many writers and contributors, yet the editors were able to gather all essays together without losing the coherence. The essays are organized in a way that gives the reader an understandable view about the history of imperialism in U.S. The book tries to be comprehensive but it has its own shortcomings: the solutions given by writers for confronting imperialism are superficial and simplistic and it has its roots in Marxist ideology of the essayists; Pox Americana puts so much emphasize on the role of labor movement and working class.
Pox Americana: Exposing the American Empire
Reviewed by Zeinab Ghasemi
By John Bellamy Foster & Robert W MachesneyYear of publication: 2004City of publication: United Kingdom Paper cover, 192pageLanguage: EnglishISBN: 0-7453-2357-X
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Zeinab_Ghasemi_Tari
U.S. current wars makes the observer to wonder whether there exist any similarity and link between new imperialism and the old one in19 century in the U.S. history. In 1898, with Spanish-American war and seizure of Spanish colonies in Caribbean, America emerged as a world power. By refusing to accept the existence of the new Philippine Republic, United - States publicly announced its intention to annex it entirely, and declare it a holy mission.
This part, the "Imperial Ambition" opens with an interview with Noam Chomsky and his opinion about American use of military force which is declared as "The national Security Strategy of the United Sates of America, which permits the use of force in the world. In this way U.S. would rule the world by force, and if there is a challenge against it U.S. will have the right to destroy the challenge before it becomes a treat; Chomsky calls this doctrine preventive war and not preemptive war and makes distinction between thee two: preventive war begins with no grounds in international law. The challenge, the treat can be invented or imagined and is not proven or evident. The point is that America calls it a new norm; to do this America has to select a defenseless target e.g. Afghanistan and Latter Iraq; and to prepare the stage for such wars they had to frighten American people that Bin laden or Saddam Hussein are a treat to their existence.
American imperialism has deep roots in its history and has close relationship with perception of white supremacy and racism. This ideology can be traced back to Christian Crusades, latter colonization of African countries and Latin America. The Declaration of Independence and latter the American constitution confirms this supremacy. Regarding U.S. -Indian treaties, white supremacy was the rationalization and ideology behind theft of Native American lands. So, the very origins of the United States are imperialistic.
Imperialism is an integral part of the capitalist world economy. In 1945 U.S. nation state became so strong and hegemonic and had military force which was unparalleled; as a result of the hegemonic power America also became culturally the center of the world. But around 1968 with the rise of economic rivals, U.S. defeat in Vietnam and world revolution, America's power and hegemony over the world began to decline. So, in order to keep their hegemony over the world, American leaders had two approaches: to persuade Western Europe, Japan and others they can have an alliance of semi- equal with the U.S. though America is the leader of them all; the second approach was called Washington Consensus: to substituted developmenalism with globalization and set out to impose this on the world. America at that period had three objectives: 1. The Counteroffensive of neoliberalism, 2. to deal with military treats and 3. To stop the European Union. After 9/11, which showed that U.S. was vulnerable the hawks entered the scene and diplomatic, multicultural approach was put aside. The war on Iraq was not for overthrowing a dictator or even for oil but to show that American could do it and intimidate both the people of the third world countries not to engage in nuclear proliferation and Europeans.
The imperialism practiced by few rich capitalist had dividend the world into rich and poor nations. The rich countries become richer by using poor counties resources. At the same time the imperialist nations of the world are competing with each other to extend their power over these resources; this completion is called geopolitics. These imperialist nations are not homogenous in their power and their completion some times leads to war. Out of this an imperial power will arise that will dictate and impose its own rule over other nations. America has been the hegemonic power since the Second World War. America's supremacy is partly due to possessing the world's primary currency. United States is willing to use its military force to keep its global hegemony whenever it is needed. But a global left, most of whom are socialist, are opposing American global program.
European countries and their Japanese counter parts are tiring to find ways to catch up with United States. The assumption is that U.S. economy more energetic and successful for its free enterprise nature and Europe's and Japan's old ways can not survive in the new order. But this assumption is not true. They fail to see that U.S. growth in 1990s was financed by borrowing from overseas (as America is the world's largest multicultural conglomerates). Despite this foreigners continue lend money to Americans because it is so productive. Anyhow Americans have a relative dominance over world's economy due to this flow of capital from Europe itself and the rest of the world. The reason why European nations were against the war in Iraq is that in this America will expand its domination over oil fields and intends to grant gigantic tax cuts to the richest of fellow Americans and at the same time boost governmental spending through defense budget.
But there is always struggle and resistance against imperialism in the history. The most significant movement against imperialism has taken place in the poor countries and the third world. The resistant groups are also active in America: a broad antiwar movement led to ending war in Vietnam. Though the term "war on terrorism" has persuaded many people that the war in Iraq is for defending American's right, nevertheless justice movement are still active and alive; these movements are a sort of mass social phenomenon which can lay the foundation for an anti-imperialist movement. But there must be an organized left presence to tie different movements and strands together.
For organizing an anti-war movement there is a need to gather all the help from contradictory objectives. So the movement needs to mobilize and combine the organizational resources and strategic potential of the labor movement, particularly the new generation of global justice activist; but the paradox here is that this goal is universal and internationalist while class power is reproduced nationally. To solve the problem a left movement should locate itself within both labor movement and other movements in the first world and to understand the old issue of state power in a new internationalist way in order to help to third world struggle.
*****
This book contains 15 essays on different aspects of American Imperialism which contains the leading left-wing and leading Marxist annalist of imperialism to examine the nature and prospects of U.S policy. Each essay is written by important figures that are critical toward Bush administration. In part one, US imperialism has long History: Noam Chomsky, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, John Bellamy Foster, Harry Magdoff, Robert McChesney and Immanuel Wallerstien have contributed to the part. Part two, Geopolitics and Political Economy of US Imperialism is written by William K Tabb, Klare and others. Part three, Resistance are written by samir Amin, Barbara Epstien, Bernardine Dohhen and... Although the book is written by many writers and contributors, yet the editors were able to gather all essays together without losing the coherence. The essays are organized in a way that gives the reader an understandable view about the history of imperialism in U.S. The book tries to be comprehensive but it has its own shortcomings: the solutions given by writers for confronting imperialism are superficial and simplistic and it has its roots in Marxist ideology of the essayists; Pox Americana puts so much emphasize on the role of labor movement and working class.
Pox Americana: Exposing the American Empire
Reviewed by Zeinab Ghasemi
By John Bellamy Foster & Robert W MachesneyYear of publication: 2004City of publication: United Kingdom Paper cover, 192pageLanguage: EnglishISBN: 0-7453-2357-X
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Zeinab_Ghasemi_Tari
