Radical Analyses of Imperialism, the Third World, and the Transition to Socialism: A Survey Article

Abstract

THIS PAPER IS A SURVEY of Marxist and other radical interpretations of interactions among the three worlds of advanced capitalism, socialism, and the less developed countries (LDCs). It includes, first, analyses of the causes, aims, and methods of capitalist imperialism. The survey next examines the impact of world capitalism on LDCs, including theories of dependency and unequal exchange and the role of international agencies in the development process of LDCs. The third general topic is that of domestic policies of the LDCs, such as policies of import substitution and export promotion, as well as other social programs aiming for development. The survey, finally, extends to the efforts of some less-advanced countries to achieve socialist societies-that is, to issues of the transition process from precapitalist or immature capitalist economies to socialist ones. Wherever possible, we appraise or raise questions about the radical literature, for the purposes of guiding readers who are unfamiliar with the terrain and of stimulating radicals to improve their efforts in these areas. By radical literature we mean that which is highly critical of capitalism, favors socialism, and often employs Marxian analysis. Marxian analysis contains an economic interpretation of historical changes, which employs the categories of the productive forces, the relations of production, and the superstructure; the view of the primacy of the production process in establishing class structures, other social relations, and noneconomic institutions and