In this bonus episode, Dr. Ali Kadri discusses imperialism and its presence in today's world. They explore the exploitation of resources by the developed world, the power of war in dominating nations, and the impact of historical events on Arab countries. They also discuss the interconnectedness of harmful elements in global society.
War plays a crucial role in the process of accumulation, allowing the extraction of resources from the south and maintaining an unequal flow of resources.
The capitalist growth model relies on waste and war, which generate profits while societies pay for the harm caused by these elements.
Deep dives
Imperialism and the Global Economy
Imperialism is an intensification of the capital relationship, with financial capital leading and shaping history. Today, all money circuits flow back to the United States, indicating the continued existence of a center and periphery dynamic. The periphery, especially Africa and the Middle East, have their resources exploited and flow disproportionately to the global center. War plays a crucial role in the process of accumulation, allowing the extraction of resources from the south. The price system and monetary policy are manipulated to maintain this unequal flow of resources, with war and oil being vital components. The Arab world is integrated into this imperial destruction through the control of resources, especially oil. The region's loss of autonomous policies and adoption of neoliberal ideology led to a degenerative process. War and oil are intimately interconnected, with war enabling control over oil resources. The power and control exerted by the imperial center allow the manipulation of the price system and monopolistic dominance over resources.
Societal Impact of Imperialism
Imperialism causes societies to live shorter, more miserable lives by extracting resources at cheap prices. The value created through the crushing power of the North over the South is a social category. Society pays for harmful things, such as war and pollution, which consume resources and lives. Waste becomes an essential element in the accumulation process, with war serving as optimal waste. The global society, interconnected through a single society, pays increasing amounts to harm themselves. The power structure controls the price system, manipulating prices and profiting from waste. The value of waste is linked to the shortening of people's lives and the condensation of labor. The more waste and resources consumed, the higher the profits. This leads to a society living shorter lives and experiencing increasing misery.
Consequences of Waste and War
Waste and war are essential elements of the capitalist growth model. As waste pays and war is profitable, societies continue to produce and consume harmful things. Society pays for war and waste over time, experiencing the consequences in terms of medical bills and shortened lives. The current global society's lack of control over consumption perpetuates the cycle of waste and war, leading to catastrophic consequences for the planet. The dominant institutions and intellectual class have an interest in promoting waste to maintain their power and control. The consumption of harmful things, such as oil and war, degrades society's control and influences a range of social and environmental issues.
The Relationship Between Waste, War, and Profit
The capitalist growth model exhibits exponential accumulation, requiring the consumption of more people and natural resources. Waste and war are essential components in this process, allowing profit generation. The power to control the price system and manipulate prices further amplifies profitability. Waste and war shape the global economic system, with waste becoming a valuable source of profit. Society pays for the harm caused by waste and war, while those in power benefit from the monopolistic control and manipulation of resources. The waste cycle perpetuates itself, further intensifying the need for waste and war. The resulting societal impact includes shortened lives, the degradation of labor, and ecological disruption.
*This is a preview of the latest bonus episode. The conversation continued for another 45 minutes in which Ali discusses the current war in Gaza and its significance to global capitalism. Please subscribe to the show for as little as $5 a month to get access to this and hundreds of hours of great bonus content.*
Ali Kadri is the author of numerous books including Arab Development Denied: Dynamics of Accumulation by Wars of Encroachment (2014), The Unmaking of Arab Socialism (2016), The Cordon Sanitaire: A Single Law Governing Development in East Asia and the Arab World (2019), and co-editor (with Linda Matar) of Syria: From National Independence to Proxy War (2019)
Guest hosted by friend of the show Matteo Capasso (@capassomat)
