The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-08-22
An Un-LeniniSt Analysis Of imperialism

luperldilSL apOlOglSJS would call them,
do they count for nothing because
they were waged against black and
yellow men and not between whites {?
Naturally the weak nations were at
tackled first, but robber Imperialism is
no less warlike because it's victories
were easier. Germany, in 1885, seized
German East Africa, in 1897 German
Southwest Africa, New Guinea, Kane
run and Samoa. In 1899, Kaiu-Chau.
France in 1885 Occupied the Congo,
in 1895 appropriated Madagascar, in
1904 Morocco (cause of the crisis Of
1905 which was of world-war magni-
tude), in 1913 Syria. America in the
same period took Hawaii, while Japan
seized Formosa.
II that is not enough evidence of a
warlike, period for Gomez land it
might be multiplied how about the
Spanish-American war of 1898 for
Cuba, Porto Rico, the Philippines and
the control of the Caribbean? How
about the English-Boer war? The
Boxer war Of the combined powers
against China? The Russo-Japanese
war for spheres of influence in Man
churia, Korea and China? The Italo-
Turkish war for the possession Of
Tripoli in 1912? The Algerian Crisis,
etc?
The period of Imperialism is the
wariike period of capitalism. A fail
ure to grasp this makes the world war
phenomenon without precedent
causes, and makes the wars against
yellow and brown and black-skinned
races no wars at all Cor peaceful
wars). In other words, it is an I'M
conscious reflection of pacifst illu-
sion and imperialist apologetics.
Gomez, in his historical back
ground" takes the strikes of 1870 to
1894 in the United States as an evil
dence that up till 1894 there was a
warlike period and after 1894 a peace
full period. This, of course, has moth
ing to do with feminist analysis of
Imperialism although Lenin is dragged
in and quoted. The strike epidemic
in question was due to the world COM
mercial crisis of the period. The rel
alive class peace" period that fol-
lowed 1894 Every relative indeed was
caused by the expansion due to mon
opoly growth and other factors, and
was broken by repeated strike crises
of great magnitude But, l repeat, it
is not this kind of peace" to which
the Lenin quotation on peaceful
period" refers.
The Gomez confusion in the article
goes so far as to say that 1T (the
peaceful period when strikes lessened
in scope, number and Intensity, was
purchased at the expense of the back
ward and undeveloped countries of
Asia, Africa and Latin America, thru
the policy of imperialism" Cd But
enough of the historic background
"Superprofits.'
The second part of the article deals
with the economic basis of capitalism,
under the heading of "Super-profits."
Here the errors are even graver and
in much more elementary things.
MARKHAM economics is turned inside
out and upside down.
BY "super-profits" Gomez means
profits in excess of the average rate
of profit. He points out that imperi-
alism yields such excess profits or
'super-profits."
This is essentially correct, and very
important. The understanding of the
economies of this profit in excess OF
the average rate, that is yielded by
Imperialism, is the understanding of
the economics of the exploitation of
the oppressed peoples. This makes ii
all the more unfortunate that Gomez's
analysis is incomplete, incorrect and
antiMarxian.
The first source Of "super-proft" ac-
cording to Gomez results from THE
GREATLY INCREASED RATE OF
EXPLOITATION AS REFLECTED IN
THE COMPOSITION OF THE CAPT
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