Author Description
People around the world are confused and concerned. Is it a sign of strength or of weakness that the US has suddenly shifted from a politics of consensus to one of coercion on the world stage? What was really at stake in the war on Iraq? Was it all about oil and, if not, what else was involved? What role has a sagging economy played in pushing the US into foreign adventurism and what difference does it make that neo-conservatives rather than neo-liberals are now in power? What exactly is the relationship between US militarism abroad and domestic politics? These are the questions taken up in this compelling and original book. Closely argued but clearly written, 'The New Imperialism' builds a conceptual framework to expose the underlying forces at work behind these momentous shifts in US policies and politics. The compulsions behind the projection of US power on the world as a 'new imperialism' are here, for the first time, laid bare for all to see. This new paperback edition contains an Afterword written to coincide with the result of the 2004 American presidental election.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the underlying economic and political drivers behind the shift in United States foreign policy toward overt coercion and militarism at the turn of the 21st century. David Harvey, a distinguished professor of geography and anthropology, utilizes a Marxist theoretical framework to analyze the intersection of capital accumulation, domestic economic instability, and global hegemony. He argues that the 'new imperialism' is a structural necessity for the survival of American capitalism rather than merely a product of specific political ideologies.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A theoretical framework linking capital accumulation by dispossession to state power.
- Analysis of the transition from neoliberal consensus to neoconservative interventionism.
- Examination of the relationship between domestic economic crises and foreign military adventurism.
Scope Limits
- The text focuses primarily on the US context and does not provide a comprehensive global history of all imperialist powers.
- The analysis is rooted in a specific critical-geographical and Marxist perspective, excluding mainstream liberal or realist international relations theories.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and critics frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the intersection of geography, political economy, and modern imperialism. Readers often note the high level of academic density, though they acknowledge the author's success in connecting complex economic theory to tangible geopolitical events.
Page Count:
288
Publication Date:
2005-01-01
ISBN-10:
0191647756
ISBN-13:
9780191647758
Economics
History
International relations
MILITARISM
Geography
Geopolitics