ABSTRACT
The terms ‘extractive capitalism,’ ‘extractive imperialism,’ and ‘imperialism’ are used synonymously in the debate on extractivism and neoextractivism. The indistinguishable use of these concepts, which are meant to be different, could confuse workers, students, and political activists engaged in class struggle in the extractive industries. This chapter analyzes these terms as separate but related concepts as a first step in aiding working people to organize in their class-interest. Extractivism is a descriptor for a particular capitalist productive, and since imperialism is an outgrowth of capitalism, it also describes imperialist relations. But, extractivism, capitalism and imperialism are three separate phenomena.
