Chapter Six. The Class Nature Of Neoliberal Globalization In The Age Of Imperialism

Abstract

This chapter examines the relationship between globalization and imperialism, crisis of global capitalism, and its political-military arm the imperial state, the developing and maturing class struggle, and the prospects for social change and transformation of global capitalism. Imperialism is the highest stage of capitalism operating on a world scale, and neoliberal globalization is the highest stage of imperialism that has penetrated every corner of the world. Focusing on the US experience, it is clear that in the post World War II period the United States emerged as the dominant power in the capitalist world. The imperial state, acting as the repressive arm of global capital and extending its rule across vast territories, has dwarfed the militaristic adventures of past empires. With the spread of capitalism and capitalist class relations around the world, capital has effected transformations in the class structure of societies with which it has come into contact. Keywords: capitalism; imperialism; neoliberal globalization; United States