ABSTRACT
This chapter offers some reflections on the intellectual challenge, reformulating some classical tenets of historical materialism on imperialism and examines how far these may be, and may not be, relevant to the contemporary world. Imperialism began within the more developed capitalist states themselves: the study of imperialism involves therefore the location of 'north-south' relations within the dual context, the global expansion of capitalism and the political and military expansion of developed capitalist states and their interstate rivalry. Imperialism, in the sense that Lenin understood it, was not the highest stage of capitalism, nor was developed capitalism necessarily tied to war. The failure of revolutionary anti-imperialism in its classic form was tied to its espousal of a teleological history, of the possibility of struggle in the name of a transition to post-capitalism, both desirable and sustainable, that proved to be invalid.
