It does make me wonder if the Yankee ruling class is at least vaguely aware of ML theory. They impose both the economic system and the sociocultural superstructure that supports and justifies the economy.
Current ruling class delegate the theory to their inteligentsia lapdogs like Friedman or Sowell and to the secret services, but past ones definitely did read it.
Not only that, but iirc Hoover also ‘wrote’ books on communism. It’s not very good, but he tried, bless him. (They’re very likely ghost written, and possibly by the same people who ghost wrote for Conquest.) Not sure about later directors.
Aside: how tf can one be a director of a secret service – the FBI, no less – through seven presidencies, while calling others totalitarian?
Can’t speak to all theory, but the US government hired Michael Hudson to teach them how Superimperialism works in the 1970s. Apparently the CIA used the book as a manual on how to do dollar dominance better.
Just looked him up, now he’s shilling for industrial capital trying to grift it as the solution to the economic crisis 😂 It’s where we’re likely heading in some areas (Russia is already there, likely Europe and England) but WW1 wasn’t an accident, and neither was it’s end 😉
Yeah, he’s a mixed bag. Sometimes you’ll get very pointed analyses of global economics, sometimes it’s just bs. Apparently his family were Trots so maybe that’s part of it. In part he’s right, in that productive capacities need to be built up and developed, but his insistence on the necessity of “mixed economies” and in some cases industrial capital is definitely off.
To be fair the idea of a cultural hegemony has been around for a while. I’d argue imposition of culture and an economic system predates ML theory and traces back to western colonialism.
I’m reading Caliban and the Witch at the moment and that’s a big part of what the author talks about. Not just how that imposition happened in the colonies, but how it happened simultaneously in the “colonial core.”
I mean, we still have so many cultural carryovers from other empires throughout history. American culture will likely have relevance long past the age of American empire. That’s just how history is.
I know, I can’t wait for the term “captain of industry” to be a pejorative similar to calling someone “chief” or “pal” 😂 Imagine a CEO in Sweden goes on vacation and posts to the company’s social media pictures, an employee replys" wow, look at this real captain of industry! 🤬" Perhaps it will come to mean pompous asshole or something similar
Yes, and culture is part of the superstructure which serves to perpetuate, spread, and legitimize what? The base! It’s imperialism which creates, drives, and spreads this shit. Imperial capital will accept no substitutes other than submission in it’s time of desperation and fleeting existence. We’ve never seen such a successful (relative) form of capitalism yet, and so it’s grip on power and it’s desperate grasps for safety will be stronger than even the British in their time. But everything has it’s opposite and crisis spurs a catalyst towards it’s creation.
Yeah, it’s absolute cultural domination.
It does make me wonder if the Yankee ruling class is at least vaguely aware of ML theory. They impose both the economic system and the sociocultural superstructure that supports and justifies the economy.
Current ruling class delegate the theory to their inteligentsia lapdogs like Friedman or Sowell and to the secret services, but past ones definitely did read it.
Perhaps the letter agencies have read it then
Not only that, but iirc Hoover also ‘wrote’ books on communism. It’s not very good, but he tried, bless him. (They’re very likely ghost written, and possibly by the same people who ghost wrote for Conquest.) Not sure about later directors.
Aside: how tf can one be a director of a secret service – the FBI, no less – through seven presidencies, while calling others totalitarian?
By juggling definitions
Can’t speak to all theory, but the US government hired Michael Hudson to teach them how Superimperialism works in the 1970s. Apparently the CIA used the book as a manual on how to do dollar dominance better.
Makes sense, sadly
Just looked him up, now he’s shilling for industrial capital trying to grift it as the solution to the economic crisis 😂 It’s where we’re likely heading in some areas (Russia is already there, likely Europe and England) but WW1 wasn’t an accident, and neither was it’s end 😉
Yeah, he’s a mixed bag. Sometimes you’ll get very pointed analyses of global economics, sometimes it’s just bs. Apparently his family were Trots so maybe that’s part of it. In part he’s right, in that productive capacities need to be built up and developed, but his insistence on the necessity of “mixed economies” and in some cases industrial capital is definitely off.
A left opportunist just like his family then
Beyond the shadow of the doubt
Absolutely.
To be fair the idea of a cultural hegemony has been around for a while. I’d argue imposition of culture and an economic system predates ML theory and traces back to western colonialism.
Yes, I suppose you are right. What with ellinisation and Romanisation.
I’m reading Caliban and the Witch at the moment and that’s a big part of what the author talks about. Not just how that imposition happened in the colonies, but how it happened simultaneously in the “colonial core.”
I mean, we still have so many cultural carryovers from other empires throughout history. American culture will likely have relevance long past the age of American empire. That’s just how history is.
I know, I can’t wait for the term “captain of industry” to be a pejorative similar to calling someone “chief” or “pal” 😂 Imagine a CEO in Sweden goes on vacation and posts to the company’s social media pictures, an employee replys" wow, look at this real captain of industry! 🤬" Perhaps it will come to mean pompous asshole or something similar
"We are in danger of producing an educated proletariat. … That’s dynamite! We have to be selective on who we allow [to go to college].”
Roger Freeman, educational advisor to Richard Nixon
Interestingly enough, apparently the same was said by Herman Gref, head of sberbank and a big name in Russian business
Yes, and culture is part of the superstructure which serves to perpetuate, spread, and legitimize what? The base! It’s imperialism which creates, drives, and spreads this shit. Imperial capital will accept no substitutes other than submission in it’s time of desperation and fleeting existence. We’ve never seen such a successful (relative) form of capitalism yet, and so it’s grip on power and it’s desperate grasps for safety will be stronger than even the British in their time. But everything has it’s opposite and crisis spurs a catalyst towards it’s creation.
very well put
Thank you