The contradiction is between the increasing interconnection of production and distribution, and the concentration of the profits of this system into fewer and fewer hands. The old system of imperialism is dying away, while the interconnected, post-imperialist world is rising, trying to overcome the old. The interconnection of production and distrubution creates the elements of the downfall of imperialism as the global south develops.

On Contradiction isn't word salad, and dialectical materialism isn't Kool-Aid. Dialectical materialism isn't a formula to impose on the world, but a tool for us to see where to look when analyzing existing phenomena. It doesn't give answers, but it helps us find them.

[+] svcg@lemmy.blahaj.zone -7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Again, word salad.

The contradiction is between the increasing interconnection of production and distribution, and the concentration of the profits of this system into fewer and fewer hands.

In what way is the interconnection of production and distribution increasing? Why is that contradictory with the concentration of profits into fewer and fewer hands? Our systems of production and distribution have been getting increasingly complex since the middle ages and yet the concentration of wealth has certainly ebbed and flowed in time. In what way are you suggesting one affects the other?

The old system of imperialism is dying away,

This is not a profound statement. It has literally always been the case since society has existed. The system of imperialism in the city states of antiquity died and gave way to the imperialism of the classical empires, which gave way to the imperialism of the feudal monarchies, and then the nation states, and the colonial empires, and so on to the capitalist economic imperialism of today.

while the interconnected, post-imperialist world is rising

Post-imperial? I doubt that and you have provided no evidence that that would be the case. It seems to me that the economic imperialism of the Western nation states is in transition to some kind of fascist corporate techno-feudalist imperialism.

And again, how does this relate to the distribution of wealth and systems of production of distribution? It's not big and it's not clever to say they are related because the fact that everything is related everything else is basically axiomatic of the system of analysis. You have to point out how.

On Contradiction isn’t word salad

That's just, like, your opinion, man.

It doesn’t give answers, but it helps us find them.

Which answers, exactly? Because the answer always seems to be the downfall of capitalism and to be replaced by socialism and then communism. And when that continues to not happen, the response always seems to be "but it totes will, eventually." That isn't analysis, that's a teleological belief.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 7 points 2 months ago

You keep saying "word salad," but that doesn't really follow.

In what way is the interconnection of production and distribution increasing? Why is that contradictory with the concentration of profits into fewer and fewer hands? Our systems of production and distribution have been getting increasingly complex since the middle ages and yet the concentration of wealth has certainly ebbed and flowed in time. In what way are you suggesting one affects the other?

A contradiction is the unity and struggle of opposing tendencies. Using the example of production and distribution increasing in interconnectivity (a process made certain by the growth of capital outward, turning all non-capitalist production into new capital ripe for production and appropriation), this is what creates the concentration of wealth in the hands of fewer and fewer people. This creates a struggle between the international working classes and the imperialists, as production is socialized but the profits are still privately appropriated. Negating this concentration means socializing ownership.

This is not a profound statement. It has literally always been the case since society has existed. The system of imperialism in the city states of antiquity died and gave way to the imperialism of the classical empires, which gave way to the imperialism of the feudal monarchies, and then the nation states, and the colonial empires, and so on to the capitalist economic imperialism of today.

This isn't really true, though. Roman imperialism dying away gave rise to feudalism, not to imperialism again. Imperialism has only really developed as an incredibly high level of development of a given mode of production.

Post-imperial? I doubt that and you have provided no evidence that that would be the case. It seems to me that the economic imperialism of the Western nation states is in transition to some kind of fascist corporate techno-feudalist imperialism.

As the global south develops, and socialist countries like China continue to grow and develop, the method of unequal exchange is being undermined. Western fascism is them bringing austerity home to cover for the loss in gains from imperialism, and the waves of wars to open new markets is an attempt to rescue imperialism.

And again, how does this relate to the distribution of wealth and systems of production of distribution? It’s not big and it’s not clever to say they are related because the fact that everything is related everything else is basically axiomatic of the system of analysis. You have to point out how.

As capitalism grows, rates of profit gradually tend to fall. This is fought by raising absolute profits, which requires growth, which results in outward expansion. This forces countries into economic inter-dependence and trade, at the barrel of a gun, but this interconnection alao provides the basis of futute cooperation.

That’s just, like, your opinion, man.

You didn't explain that.

Which answers, exactly? Because the answer always seems to be the downfall of capitalism and to be replaced by socialism and then communism. And when that continues to not happen, the response always seems to be “but it totes will, eventually.” That isn’t analysis, that’s a teleological belief.

I don't follow, socialism is rising, the largest economy in the world by PPP is socialist. The reason we believe socialism is the next step is because capitalism has already socialized production, it just keeps the profits for the few. This creates a heightened class struggle that can only get worse as time goes by. We still have to overthrow capitalism and imperialism, but this is a process that is compelled by capitalism's own centralization and monopolization. There's no such thing as a static, unchanging system.