Can so-called Russian and Chinese “imperialism” be compared to U.S. imperialism?

There is an exchange between Marissa Olanick, an organizer of the Marxist International Tendency, and myself at the end of an article of mine in Canadian Dimension. In my criticism of a statement by the Marxist International Tendency, I argue that “Any lengthy statement on the topic of imperialism today needs to differentiate the actions of China and Russia throughout the world with those of the United States.”

https://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/how-the-issue-of-ukraine-is-playing-out-on-the-left

 

 

Latin America’s Pink Tide is Making a Comeback, but the Challenges these Governments Face Don’t have Easy Readymade Solutions

 Some writers on the left have condemned the pro-leftist governments in Latin America which have given the green light to mining and other developmentalist projects. The strategy of these governments, known as the Pink Tide, is to exploit raw materials while increasing the tax obligations of the multinational corporations in order to funnel the added revenue into social programs. The anti-Pink Tide writers on the left claim that the strategy of “extractivism,” or neo-extractivism as they put it, produces environmental destruction and leaves the country with little in the way of long-term development. But the strategy is not wrong in itself, in that it does not necessarily produce massive environmental devastation. Furthermore, the projects do not necessarily have to conform to the old model based on the exports of primary commodities, that is, mining and agricultural products not processed in the country. The devil is in the details. The following is a review of my edited “Latin American Extractivism: Dependency, Resource Nationalism and Resistance in Broad Perspective,” which points to the necessity to examine the specifics of each case rather than putting forward an all-encompassing critique of all projects. The review suggests the need to look at the broader issues and the challenges and limited options available to Pink Tide governments.

http://links.org.au/latin-american-extractivism

Dakota Building where John Lennon and Yoko Ono lived and where Lennon was assassinated

 The arch of the Dakota building in New York City, the exact spot where the 40-year old John Lennon was murdered on December 8, 1980. In the years prior to his death, Yoko and Lennon had become true poetical activists who supported a wide range of causes. In fact, Lennon and Yoko were to join striking minority sanitation workers in San Francisco just days after he was killed. His "Give Peace a Chance" became a rallying song for the anti-Vietnam War movement. And his song Imagine was an indictment of capitalist ethics and an inspiration for those who believe that a better and radically different world is possible. Tariq Ali documented that the FBI was keeping close tabs on Lennon. I am not (for the most part) a believer in conspiracy theory and I know little about Lennon's assassin Mark David Chapman, but it seems to me quite suspicious that what the FBI calls “Messiahs,” namely those with charismatic ability who reach out to a wide range of different groups (in Lennon's case African Americans with his support for Black Panthers, workers, gays, the Irish, etc), so often become targets for assassins.