The Wealth of (Some) Nations : Imperialism and the Mechanics of Value Transfer

In this provocative new study, Zak Cope makes the case that capitalism is empirically inseparable from imperialism, historically and today. Using a rigourous political economic framework, he lays bare the vast ongoing transfer of wealth from the poorest to the richest countries through the mechanisms of monopoly rent, unequal exchange and colonial tribute. The result is a polarised international class structure with a relatively rich Global North and an impoverished, exploited Global South. Cope makes the controversial claim that it is because of these conditions that workers in rich countries benefit from higher incomes and welfare systems with public health, education, pensions and social security. As a result, the internationalism of populations in the Global North is weakened and transnational solidarity is compromised. The only way forward, Cope argues, is through a renewed anti-imperialist politics rooted in a firm commitment to a radical labour internationalism. In this provocative new study, Zak Cope makes the case that capitalism is empirically inseparable from imperialism, historically and today. Using a rigorous political economic framework, he lays bare the vast ongoing transfer of wealth from the poorest to the richest countries through the mechanisms of monopoly rent, unequal exchange, and colonial tribute. The result is a polarized international class structure with a relatively rich Global North and an impoverished, exploited Global South. Cope makes the controversial claim that it is because of these conditions that workers in rich countries benefit from higher incomes and welfare systems with public health, education, pensions, and social security. As a result, the internationalism of populations in the Global North is weakened and transnational solidarity is compromised. The only way forward, Cope argues is through a renewed anti-imperialist politics rooted in a firm commitment to a radical labor internationalism. The author makes the case that capitalism is empirically inseparable from imperialism, historically and today. using a rigorous political economy framework, he lays bare the vast ongoing transfer of wealth from the poorest to the richest countries through the mechanisms of monopoly rent, unequal exchange and colonial tribute. The result is a polarized international class structure with a relatively rich global North and an impoverished, exploited global South. the author makes the controversial claim that it is because of these conditions that workers in rich countries benefit from higher incomes and welfare systems with public health, education, pensions and social security. As a result, the internationalism of populations int he global North is weakened and transnational solidarity is compromised. The only way forward, the author argues, is through a renewed anti-imperialist politics rooted in a firm commitment to a radical labour internationalism List of Figures and Tables Acknowledgements Introduction Part I The Mechanics of Imperialism 1. Value Transfer 2. Colonial Tribute 3. Monopoly Rent 4. Unequal Exchange Part II The Econometrics of Imperialism 5. Imperialism and Its Denial 6. Measuring Imperialist Value Transfer 7. Measuring Colonial Value Transfer 8. Comparing Value Transfer to Profits, Wages and Capital Part III Foundations of the Labour Aristocracy 9. Anti-Imperialist Marxism and the Wages of Imperialism 10. The Metropolitan Labour Aristocracy 11. The Native Labour Aristocracy Part IV Social Imperialism Past and Present 12. Social Imperialism before the First World War 13. Social Imperialism after the First World War 14. Social-Imperialist Marxism 15. Conclusion: Imperialism and Anti-Imperialism Today Appendix: Physical Quality of Life in Capitalist and Socialist Countries Notes Bibliography Index A Taboo-busting Critique Of The Transfer Of Wealth From The Global South To The Global North.