Den komplexa imperialismen

Att USA är vår planets dominerande supermakt råder det ingen tvekan om. Men hur utövas denna makt förutom dom uppenbara anfallskrigen? Vilka krafter balanserar upp denna makt och hur? Globala maktstrukturer finns nånstans där i bakgrunden i mediarapporteringen. Ofta klädd i ord som "fredsbevarande trupper", "mänskliga rättigheter", "demokrati", "terrorism", "religiösa motsättninger", "världssamfundet" etc etc. Bakomligganden intressen och orsakssamband förtigs.

Prof. James Petras försöker i sin artikel "Understanding Empire: Hierarchy, Networks and Clients" förklara och beskriva den komplexa världsordningen.

At the top of the imperial system are those imperial states whose power is projected on a world scale, whose ruling classes dominate investment and financial markets and who penetrate the economies of the rest of the world. At the apex of the imperial system stand the US, the European Union (itself highly stratified) and Japan. Led by the US they have established networks of ‘follower imperial states’ (largely regional hegemons) and client or vassal states which frequently act as surrogate military forces. Imperial states act in concert to break down barriers to penetration and takeovers, while at the same time, competing to gain advantages for their own state and multinational interests.

Just below the central imperial states are newly emerging imperial powers (NEIP), namely China, India, Canada, Russia and Australia. The NEIP states are subject to imperial penetration, as well as expanding into neighboring and overseas underdeveloped states and countries rich in extractive resources. The NEIP are linked to the central imperial states (CIS) through joint ventures in their home states, while they increasingly compete for control over extractive resources in the underdeveloped countries. They frequently ‘follow’ in the footsteps of the imperial powers, and in some cases take advantage of conflicts to better their own position.

Läs hela artikeln här! Den är väl värd att läsa i sin helhet så gör det. Den tar också upp Venezuela, kriget i Somalia, Israels särställning och mycket mer.

Tack till Latin American News Review för tipset.

Andra bloggar om: imperialism, USA, världsordning