"Territorial Empire and 'New Imperialism'"

Lecture #14: "Territorial Empire and 'New Imperialism''
Stellan Vinthagen

Review/Preview- The debate about network versus empire is related to how we view globalization.

An Overview of the Arguments
- Some argue that globalization has weakened nation-states. While other contend that it has created failed states and regionalization.
- Some argue that globalization offers some states new opportunities. This is where imperialism comes on. They ask, is globalization a wave of capitalism? Does capitalism encourage imperialism or free markets? Has globalization led to a concentration of wealth in the hands of 1% of the world’s population? Has globalization increased difference between the rich and the poor?
- Some argue that globalization provides opportunities for wealth that didn’t exist before. They believe that many people who would have been poor before globalization can now support themselves.
- Some argue that the U.S. is an empire. Their evidence includes the following:
o The U.S. has military bases in approximately 140 countries.
o The U.S. has 300,000 soldiers on foreign ground.
o The U.S. holds the world record for foreign interventions having long ago surpassed the Roman Empire.
o The U.S. has overthrown democratically elected leaders. (i.e. Iran)
o The War on Terror is a sign of imperialism.
o The U.S. spends ½ of the total military budget of the world.
- Some argue that the election of Barrack Obama has made a difference, at least, rhetorically. Obama has instructed his staff not to use the phrase “War on Terror.”
Is the U.S. an Empire?
- Is the U.S. an empire in the same way as the Roman Empire or the British Empire?
- Or is the U.S. just a strong state?
- What does it mean to talk about empires?

Münkler on Empire
- Münkler presents a realist theory of empire.
- According to Münkler, empire is the dominance of one polity over another both internally and externally.
- Münkler presents three criteria of empire:
o 1. Long term empire/dominance: An empire must have survived a crisis. Thus the Nazi Empire was a failed empire because it didn’t survive the crisis of World War II.
o 2. Major expansion: An empire must purse expansion. Expansion can be regional rather than global. An empire can pursue explanation militarily and/or economically. An example of major expansion is the British Empire.
o Center-Periphery: In an empire, there is a sliding scale of rights. The closer you are to the center, the more rights you have. This is different from a nation-state. You are either a citizen of a nation-state or you are not. In theory, all citizens are equal before the law.
- Münkler distinguishes between empire and imperialism.
o Imperialism is the will to empire.
o Empire is long term dominance, major expansion and the creation and maintenance of the center and periphery.
o During the colonial period, imperialism was viewed positively. Many believe that Europe was obligated to help others.
o Today, imperialism is a negative term.
- Münkler emphasizes that every empire needs to legitimize its imperial project at least among those who make empire possible. Thus, the creation of ideology.
o You may not like the empire but you probably believe the ideology.
o Empire can have ideologies that embrace liberty, equality and justice but empire can also have a missionary ideology.
- European imperialist ambitions were crushed with the Holocaust.
o Many people pointed to the Holocaust as evidence of what European civilization was capable of.
o The Holocaust created a general lack of confidence in the European missionary project.
- Democracies have a difficult time building empires because it is difficult to maintain electoral support for the imperial mission. However, it is not impossible for a democracy to become an empire.
- Industrialization has changed the conditions of empires.
o Prior to industrialization, militarization was the driving force of imperialism.
o Today, economics is the driving force of imperialism.
- Does the U.S. Empire meet Münkler’s criteria?
o It has survived several crises.
o It has pursused neo-liberal economic expansion.
o Some countries such as Britain are a part of the center while other countries are a part of the periphery.
- Is the election of Barrack Obama a reaction to the U.S. imperial project?
- In terms of military might and economic dominance, the U.S. is definitely on top but the U.S. does have an enormous financial deficit and this may make a difference.

Wallerstein on Empire
- Wallerstein renews the Marxist perspective in a fundamental way so much so that you could argue that Wallerstein is turning Marxism on its head.
- Wallerstein is also inspired by Dependency Theory.
- Wallerstein contends that underdevelopment is created through capitalism.
- An aside: Marx believed that capitalism was a liberating force which made socialism possible.
- According to Wallerstein, labor is territorial; capital is not. Laborers can’t just go where the jobs are located.
- Two principles demonstrate the exploitative nature of the world economy:
o 1. Surplus is not invested in the periphery. → Profits are generally invested in Europe and the U.S. Research and development happens within the core.
o 2. There are declining terms of trade. → Terms of trade favor manufactured goods over raw materials.
- Economic differences between the core, semi-periphery (a concept Wallerstein introduces) and periphery represent a systemic imbalance.
- It is rare for a country to move from the periphery to the semi-periphery to the core.
- World Bank rankings show countries grouping in clusters.
o Core → G8 / OECD
o Semi-Periphery → BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China)
o Periphery → “Global South”
- Wallerstein looks at economies not nation-states. In fact, he contends that the core and periphery can exist within nation-states.
- There are several conditions that keep this system alive:
o The existence of the semi-periphery.
o Ethnic and ideological differences are maintained. (There is no world government.)
o The world is divided politically but united economically.
- This system is so stable that it forces governments to accommodate capitalist conditions.
o The only possibility for change is crisis.
o When a crisis is too difficult to handle, there is an opening. This opening can be utilized by “anti-systemic movements.”

Criticisms
- Some progress does occur. Some countries are moving up out of the periphery.
- Galtung argues that the U.S. Empire will collapse.
- Diamond contends that ecology is the key factor to understanding why empires fall.
- Empires and informal empires exist simultaneously.
o At some point, it becomes obvious that you are talking about empire. Before that there is de facto or informal empire

Pieterse
- Pieterse argues for a combination of empire and network.
- Is the U.S. unique? Is it a moment of empire?
- Can globalization be halted by a longer period of U.S. empire?
- Imperialism is:
o State centric.
o Classical imperialist thinking holds that political domination is key.
o Has a central authority.
o Maintains political control of territory.
- Globalization is:
o A system with a diversity of actors including states, NGOs, TNCs, etc.
o Not purely political.
o Multi-dimensional.
o Non-territorial.
o Not at the core; less bounded by place.
o Diffusion of power.
- Pieterse argues that there are qualities and traits of empire in globalization but there are still fundamental differences.