Paradoxes of Disconnectedness

Abstract

Continual wars of resistance and wars of imperial conquest mark the development of capitalism as we know it. One of the driving forces of this violent history and a direct effect of capitalist development is the fact that new states are forced to struggle for a share of the fruits of the world system. As a result of this pattern of capitalist accumulation, the twentieth century witnessed multiple disconnections. Against this background, the following questions call for answers: What new disconnections can we expect in the short and medium term? How is the United States preparing to block, prevent, or abort these disconnections? Will future disconnections require an imperialist war? Is the polycentric world envisioned by Samir Amin, with its multiple coexisting cultures, a viable alternative?

Keywords

Imperialism capitalism nation-states disconnectedness United States

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