Nation, Imperialism and Capitalism
A Critique
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd
Publishing:22nd May '26
£155.00
This title is due to be published on 22nd May, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
Exploring the interdependence of capital accumulation with imperialist tendencies and nationalism, this book investigates the workings of contemporary capitalism.
By systematically addressing nationalism and the imperialist tendencies inherent in capitalist social formations – to expand economically, politically and ideologically beyond their state territory - the book poses questions such as Does nationalism fuel imperialism? Or, in the case of less developed countries, is it an obstacle to the imperialist policies of the big powers and international capital? Does nationalism necessarily encourage irredentism and ethnic cleansing? Is the nation an outcome of the historical era of capitalism as a system of class domination and exploitation? Conversely, can nationalism ever be a vehicle for the social liberation of the working classes in the era of ‘globalisation’ and ‘financialisation’? In addressing these questions the book highlights class relations of domination and exploitation, the contradictions of their expanded reproduction, the increasing role of finance, and the economic and geopolitical imbalances and conflicts that characterise current international relations.
The book will be of great interest to readers in the social sciences across economic history, history of economic thought, political economy, Marxist theory, political science, state theory, international economics and development studies.
John Milios has produced a magisterial survey of Marxist and other radical theories of imperialism. His work challenges economic reductionist models which argue that attempts by states to coerce and dominate other states are mechanistically caused by internal economic contradictions. Instead, Milios proposes a framework which links imperialism to the dynamics of capital expansion, the resulting constitution and reconstitution of the nation-states in an imperialist chain, and the reproduction of nationalist politics and culture. He explores the contradictory features of this complex constellation with clarity and depth. The reader of Nation, Imperialism, and Capitalism will come away with a better understanding of the dynamics of contemporary imperialism and a heightened appreciation of the explanatory power of Marxist theory.
- Professor John Willoughby, American University, Washington, DC.
John Milios discusses the relationship between nation, nationalism, imperialism, and Marx’s critique of political economy in light of the latest developments in global capitalism offering a new theoretical approach to the concepts under investigation. This fascinating study is extremely useful for theorists and activists alike.
- Dr. Michael Heinrich, author of Karl Marx and the Birth of Modern Society
A truly indispensable reference for anyone interested in a Marxist theory of the nation-state and of nationalism. John Milios goes beyond simply deconstructing nationalist myths about the ‘historical continuity of the nation’ and also beyond simply observing the invention of traditions or the role of ‘imagined communities'. Instead, he attempts to ground the emergence of the nation on the new forms of social organization and mass politicization associated with the advance of capitalism, thus grasping the inherently contradictory character of the nation and its ideology.
- Panagiotis Sotiris, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, University of the Aegean
ISBN: 9781041001386
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
256 pages