Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2014 23:16:09 +0200
Neo-Colonialism and the Changing Nature of Imperialism in Africa
Higher concentrations of wealth and growing class divisions represent the
decline of world capitalism
By <http://www.globalresearch.ca/author/abayomi-azikiwe> Abayomi Azikiwe
Global Research, June 08, 2014
africa_command
V.I. Lenin provided the most comprehensive as well as succinct definition
of imperialism in his famous book, "Imperialism, the Highest Stage of
Capitalism" that was published during World War I. In this book Lenin deals
with changing character of imperialism and the supremacy of international
finance capital as the dominant interests within the world capitalist
system.
After nearly a century, Lenin's study of the changing economic character of
world capitalism remains important in understanding the nature of
international relations and the class character of modern society. Wealth
has become even more concentrated during the first two decades of the 21st
century despite monumental strides in the areas of technological development
and industrial productivity.
Lenin said in Chapter VII of this above-mentioned work that
"If it were necessary to give the briefest possible definition of
imperialism we should have to say that imperialism is the monopoly stage of
capitalism. Such a definition would include what is most important, for, on
the one hand, finance capital is the bank capital of a few very big
monopolist banks, merged with the capital of the monopolist associations of
industrialists; and, on the other hand, the division of the world is the
transition from a colonial policy which has extended without hindrance to
territories unseized by any capitalist power, to a colonial policy of
monopolist possession of the territory of the world, which has been
completely divided up."
The two World Wars fought during the first half of the 20th century were
designed to carve up the spoils of colonial conquest and exploitation.
Nonetheless, these wars could not resolve the quest for hegemony by the
imperialist states, of course, due to the intervention of the masses of
workers and peasants who rose up during the aftermath of these
conflagrations.
Imperialism and Neo-Colonialism
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, a leader in the Gold Coast Revolution (later Ghana) and a
proponent of Pan-Africanism and Socialism, later identified neo-colonialism
as the final phase of imperialism in a book he published in 1965 entitled
"Neo-Colonialism: The Last Stage of Imperialism" issued on the eve of his
removal from power by a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) engineered coup in
Feb. 1966. The colonial and semi-colonial powers may relinquish the
appearance of control through the recognition of independent states and
their governments, yet they maintain their quest for hegemony through the
control of the international division of labor and the dominance over the
economic relations of production, ownership and trade.
Nkrumah wrote in the chapter entitled "The Mechanisms of Neo-Colonialism,"
that
"Faced with the militant peoples of the ex-colonial territories in Asia,
Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America, imperialism simply switches
tactics. Without a qualm it dispenses with its flags, and even with certain
of its more hated expatriate officials. This means, so it claims, that it is
'giving' independence to its former subjects, to be followed by 'aid' for
their development. Under cover of such phrases, however, it devises
innumerable ways to accomplish objectives formerly achieved by naked
colonialism. It is this sum total of these modern attempts to perpetuate
colonialism while at the same time talking about 'freedom', which has come
to be known as neo-colonialism."
In the following paragraph, Nkrumah then goes on to identify the principal
enemy of the forces of national liberation, anti-imperialism and socialism
throughout the world. He notes that
"Foremost among the neo-colonialists is the United States, which has long
exercised its power in Latin America. Fumblingly at first she turned towards
Europe, and then with more certainty after world war two when most countries
of that continent were indebted to her. Since then, with methodical
thoroughness and touching attention to detail, the Pentagon set about
consolidating its ascendancy, evidence of which can be seen all around the
world."
These words still carry resonance in the second decade of the 21st century.
The motivations behind imperialist militarism are based upon their attempts
to maintain control of the economic resources of the world.
In relationship to the situation in Africa today there appears to be a
counter-narrative related to the reports of phenomenal economic growth while
at the same time the ominous threat of "global terrorism" provides a
rationale for deepening military and intelligence interventions. Although
the U.S. is leading in this approach, other imperialist states such as
France, Britain, Canada and Germany are also heavily involved.
The formation of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) signaled a
renewed threat to the sovereignty of the continent. In this current phase of
post-colonial history, the Pentagon, the CIA and NATO forces along with the
State of Israel are involved in numerous African states.
Under the guise of providing emerging African states with assistance in
enhancing their internal security apparatuses to guard against "terrorism,"
the African Union member-states are becoming less stable and incapable of
resolving their own internal problems. This contradiction also has served to
undermine the tenuous existence of African unity as demonstrated in the
EU-Africa summit held in Brussels, Belgium.
The Domestic Character of Neo-Colonialism
When the character of imperialism is analyzed it cannot be merely limited to
foreign policy concerns of the Western capitalist states. Within the
domestic confines of these countries there are oppressed nations that have
been subjected to domination and super-exploitation.
In the U.S., the growing populations of African Americans, Latinos, Asian
Americans, Middle Eastern communities, etc., are creating the conditions for
major shifts in the political culture of the country. Consequently, a
renewed series of attacks are being carried out against these populations
under the rubric of privatization aimed at capitalist re-structuring.
For example in Detroit, the banks have driven nearly a quarter-of-a-million
people, mainly African Americans, from the city over the last
decade-and-a-half. This assault on the population was carried out utilizing
economic means such as home foreclosures and predatory municipal lending
engineered by the financial institutions.
The imposed emergency management and forced bankruptcy of Detroit, the
largest per capita African American populated municipality in the U.S., was
carried out not by the people who live in the city but by racist right-wing
governor utilizing a dictator who works as an agent of the banks.
This is why we raised the slogan "Cancel the Debt." We realize that the
current situation was created by the criminal actions of international
finance capital carried out on a domestic level.
These attacks against the people of Detroit and other municipalities in
Michigan, most of whom have majority African American populations, are also
designed to set a precedence for the nationwide seizure of public pension
funds, public assets, the privatization of schools, the driving down of
wages and the theft of any semblance of even bourgeois democratic practice
and norms. This is why the most advanced forces in Detroit have reached out
to nationally oppressed and working class communities throughout the U.S.
and indeed the world.
The struggle in Detroit and other municipalities throughout the country is
part and parcel of a world struggle against imperialism. Consequently,
despite the increasing impoverishment and repression of the majority of the
world's population, which is well under way, this current phase provides the
basis for the building of greater solidarity efforts which in the end will
prevail over the ever-shrinking ruling class that remains mired in perpetual
crises necessitating even more wars and greater degrees of economic
exploitation.
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