Beyond the New Imperialism
Critiques and Reflections on David Harvey’s Theory Abstract
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46661/rec.13328Keywords:
Imperialism, Spatio-temporal fix, Accumulation by dispossessionAbstract
In the current period, the problem of imperialism has gained renewed centrality due to the profound disputes shaping global geopolitics. In this context, it is crucial to revisit theoretical frameworks that address the historical tendencies of imperialism. The intellectual contributions of Marxist geographer David Harvey stand out for their significant impact on the field of social sciences and analysis worldwide; his concepts of the spatio-temporal fix and accumulation by dispossession have crossed disciplinary boundaries, influencing a wide range of scholars. At the same time, it is necessary to undertake a critical appropriation of these concepts in light of their grounding within his broader perspective on imperialism, as developed in his well-known work The New Imperialism, presented in the context of the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. This paper aims to critically examine this theory through an analysis of its internal coherence and its theoretical robustness in explaining the historical development of capitalism. From a critical standpoint toward Harvey’s perspective, an alternative approach is proposed based on the conceptualization and analysis of François Chesnais, who argues that classical Marxist theories of imperialism—particularly Lenin’s contributions—provide an adequate starting point for investigating the transformations of capitalism beyond the period for which they were originally formulated.
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