Imperialism after the Neoliberal Turn (Capitalism, Power and the Imperial State)

This book explores how imperialism has been evolving in the neoliberal era, with the aim of providing a systematic and integrative understanding of the inner dynamics and vulnerabilities of the contemporary imperialist system. Asking how it has been possible to sustain an imperialist system that fails to address the problems of unemployment, declining standards of living and globalizing conflicts, the author draws upon theoretical and empirical contributions from the current literature to further recent efforts at re-conceptualizing imperialism under the conditions of neoliberal globalization and advances a critique of the school of transnationalism in global political economy. The author puts forward that contemporary imperialism rests on a triangular structure composed of (a) economic imperialism, which is driven by a neoliberal logic of maximizing monopoly profits at massive societal costs; (b) military imperialism, which is shaped by the neoliberal transformation of the US military-industrial complex with the rise of private armies, the globalization of narcocapitalism, and the weaponization of Islamist terrorism and ethno-religious divides; and (c) cultural imperialism, which is led by the media- and nonprofit-corporate complexes, having weaponized the media and civil society in manufacturing popular consent. The book's arguments are also extended to the current challenges of imperialism embodied in the rise of the BRICS, post-hegemonic forms of regional cooperation, and global popular resistance. As such, it will appeal to scholars of politics and sociology with interests in globalization, imperialism, capitalism, and global power.Recipient of the 2023 Distinguished Achievement Award in Political Economy from the World Association for Political Economy (WAPE). This book explores how imperialism has been evolving in the neoliberal era, with the aim of providing a systematic and integrative understanding of the inner dynamics and vulnerabilities of the contemporary imperialist system. Asking how it has been possible to sustain an imperialist system that fails to address the problems of unemployment, declining standards of living and globalizing conflicts, the author draws upon theoretical and empirical contributions from the current literature to further recent efforts at re-conceptualizing imperialism under the conditions of neoliberal globalization and advances a critique of the school of transnationalism in global political economy. The author puts forward that contemporary imperialism rests on a triangular structure composed of (a) economic imperialism, which is driven by a neoliberal logic of maximizing monopoly profits at massive societal costs; (b) military imperialism, which is shaped by the neoliberal transformation of the US military-industrial complex with the rise of private armies, the globalization of narcocapitalism, and the weaponization of Islamist terrorism and ethno-religious divides; and (c) cultural imperialism, which is led by the media- and nonprofit-corporate complexes, having weaponized the media and civil society in manufacturing popular consent. The book’s arguments are also extended to the current challenges of imperialism embodied in the rise of the BRICS, post-hegemonic forms of regional cooperation, and global popular resistance. As such, it will appeal to scholars of politics and sociology with interests in globalization, imperialism, capitalism, and global power. Cover 1 Endorsements 2 Half Title 4 Series Page 5 Title Page 6 Copyright Page 7 Table of Contents 8 Introduction 10 1. Imperialism: A literature review 16 2. Economic imperialism in the neoliberal era 33 3. Imperialism and the transformation of the military-industrial complex under neoliberalism 52 4. Cultural imperialism and the media-industrial complex 77 5. Cultural imperialism and the nonprofit-corporate complex 87 6. The subimperialism thesis and the BRICS 99 7. Extractivism and the Latin American left: The limits of anti-imperialist discourses 116 8. “Post-hegemonic multipolarity” in Eurasia: Whither the imperialist system? 130 Conclusion 143 Index 150 Introduction;,1,Imperialism;,2,Economic,imperialism,in,the,neoliberal,era;,3,Imperialism,and,the,transformation,of,the,military-industrial,complex,under,neoliberalism;,4,Cultural,imperialism,and,the,media-industrial,complex;,5,Cultural,imperialism,and,the,nonprofit-corporate,complex;,6,The,subimperialism,thesis,and,the,BRICS;,7,Extractivism,and,the,Latin,American,left;,8,“Post-hegemonic,multipolarity”,in,Eurasia;,Conclusion Introduction,1 Imperialism,2 Economic imperialism in the neoliberal era,3 Imperialism and the transformation of the military-industrial complex under neoliberalism,4 Cultural imperialism and the media-industrial complex,5 Cultural imperialism and the nonprofit-corporate complex,6 The subimperialism thesis and the BRICS,7 Extractivism and the Latin American left,8 “Post-hegemonic multipolarity” in Eurasia,Conclusion