The Political Emancipation of the Bourgeoisie

The podcast discusses the emergence of the bourgeoisie class and their entrance into politics during the era of imperialism. The bourgeoisie, driven by their desire for wealth and profit, initially sought to stay out of politics. However, as their home markets became saturated, they ventured into other countries to expand their businesses. This led to the need for political power to protect their investments, resulting in the birth of imperialism. As imperialism grew, the power and importance of nation states declined, giving rise to a globalized economy. Nationalist institutions attempted to resist imperialist aspirations but were eventually weakened, particularly when the German bourgeoisie aligned with the Hitler movement. This alignment resulted in the destruction of the nation state, as power shifted to the mob and the institutions that could protect individuals from imperialist pursuits crumbled. This chapter explores the role of the bourgeoisie in the decline of the nation state, the birth of imperialism, and the march towards totalitarianism.