Russia is not an imperialist country. Not only does it lack control over the world financial system, but it also is not extracting surplus value from the world.
Only a handful of countries even have the ability to enact imperialist surplus extract. It is American/European/Japanese firms which hold monopoly positions. It is America who gets to export its government debt in the form of US T-bonds that everyone is forced to buy. It is the US/EU which can create any protectionist trade policy they want while forcing structural adjustment programs onto the third world (aka forcing 3rd world countries to sell off public assets to US/EU capital in exchange for hard currency).
A country’s currency is the symbol and source of its imperial power. The countries with “hard currencies” are the imperialists who can dictate the economy of the world and leech off it. Meanwhile Russia’s currency becomes worthless in the global market by a simple sanction, and the imperialists steal 300 billion USD foreign reserves of Russia.
The idea of modern Russia being an imperialist power is just wrong and not supported by facts. Their class position is as imperialist as my class position is bourgeois*.
It would be if it could be. It tries in every arena but it’s just too weak to succeed. I don’t really see the point of swapping one piece of shit for another.
They literally have private mercenary armies running around Africa fucking shit up. I mean the US does too but it’s clear to any neutral observer that Russia use their power in a similar manner to the US to the best of their capabilities.
Can you explain how Russian mercenaries are “fucking shit up?” Who are they fighting, and who are they allied with? Fighting itself is not inherently bad, it isn’t just because the US fights that they are bad, it’s that the US uses millitary force to subjugate the global south and cement the system by which wealth is expropriated to the global north. Russia does not do that.
That sounds like a good thing then and it means the Russian Federation is engaging in anti-imperialism in Africa. Do you have an example of where you believe the US Empire is in the right?
Russia is not an imperialist country. Not only does it lack control over the world financial system, but it also is not extracting surplus value from the world.
Only a handful of countries even have the ability to enact imperialist surplus extract. It is American/European/Japanese firms which hold monopoly positions. It is America who gets to export its government debt in the form of US T-bonds that everyone is forced to buy. It is the US/EU which can create any protectionist trade policy they want while forcing structural adjustment programs onto the third world (aka forcing 3rd world countries to sell off public assets to US/EU capital in exchange for hard currency).
A country’s currency is the symbol and source of its imperial power. The countries with “hard currencies” are the imperialists who can dictate the economy of the world and leech off it. Meanwhile Russia’s currency becomes worthless in the global market by a simple sanction, and the imperialists steal 300 billion USD foreign reserves of Russia.
The idea of modern Russia being an imperialist power is just wrong and not supported by facts. Their class position is as imperialist as my class position is bourgeois*.
*for the record I don’t own businesses or land.
It would be if it could be. It tries in every arena but it’s just too weak to succeed. I don’t really see the point of swapping one piece of shit for another.
There’s a difference between is and would be, and the difference is that what presently exists is of key importance.
They literally have private mercenary armies running around Africa fucking shit up. I mean the US does too but it’s clear to any neutral observer that Russia use their power in a similar manner to the US to the best of their capabilities.
Can you explain how Russian mercenaries are “fucking shit up?” Who are they fighting, and who are they allied with? Fighting itself is not inherently bad, it isn’t just because the US fights that they are bad, it’s that the US uses millitary force to subjugate the global south and cement the system by which wealth is expropriated to the global north. Russia does not do that.
Two sides of the same coin.
This doesn’t answer any of my questions, it’s just dodging.
Can you explain how Russian mercenaries are “fucking shit up?” Who are they fighting, and who are they allied with?
You know the answer. Proxy wars with Americans.
That sounds like a good thing then and it means the Russian Federation is engaging in anti-imperialism in Africa. Do you have an example of where you believe the US Empire is in the right?
When pressed, the “anarchist” retreats from cold reality and into the comfort of stock, thought terminating cliches
This is just fan fiction.
When has Russia tried to take over the global economic system? What attempts has it made?
What does this mean? Since when is Russia taking over the governance of Europe even a remote possibility?
So all of the sudden Russia isnt imperialist?