Weak Reeds and Class Enemies

Abstract

A large part of this issue of MR is devoted to the monetary problems and crises of the world capitalist system. This is a difficult area of economics which laymen often shun as beyond their comprehension, leaving the field to the experts who may know all about the intricacies of balance-of-payments statistics and the seemingly mysterious workings of central banks and foreign exchange markets but may be quite unable to relate their specialized knowledge to the larger realities of the international scene. The result tends to be generalized ignorance about the meaning and implications of what goes on in the international monetary realm, hence also an inability to evaluate some of the most important forces and tendencies at work in the world capitalist system.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.