Israeli Subimperialism?

Abstract

The expanding economic, political, and military power of such nations as Brazil and South Africa in their respective regions has become a vital topic of discussion in the Left. The "subimperialist" phenomenon has been discussed not only in Ruy Mauro Marini's "Brazilian Subimperialism" (MR, February 1972), but in the editors' "Imperialism in the Seventies" (MR, March 1972). While the masses in the "subimperialist" countries remain cruelly exploited by local and foreign capital, the ruling classes have experienced a new prosperity, derived both from continued exploitation at home and from boosts in foreign trade. The "subimperialist" bourgeoisies have also become addicted to political and military interventions outside their own borders, as shown by Brazil's role in the 1971 Bolivian coup or Iran's maneuvers to establish a "sphere of influence" in the Arabian Gulf.This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website, where most recent articles are published in full.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.