Due to inflation, energy crisis, worsening pay and conditions, increasingly authoritarian right wing govts, the impending collapse of the NHS, higher education entry criteria choking the number of graduates, etc.
I’m reasonably sure the final straw would be a currency crisis. A stable currency feels like imperial privilege.
Has anything been written on this? The characteristics of imperial core countries, I mean. I’d be interested to know if there are any examples of countries that have ceased to be core countries that have been analysed through a Marxist lense.
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What does that even mean? They are gonna start taking IMF loans and FDI?
Already do. IMF in the 70s and FDI has been preferred to developing domestic companies since thatcher.
Of course, the IMF’s job was to break the labour party and FDI means investment from the US and vain attempts to reclaim some petrodollars.
That’s the kind of thing I’m thinking of, yeah.
I guess the real question is whether or not the privileges I’m referring to will be absorbed by the US to shore up its position (America first) or if they’ll suffer the same thing (eg decline).
I firmly believe the UK will be the first imperialist country to collapse under its own weight.
Hope you’re not underestimating the problem. The UK government has been quite loud during the current Ukraine events. They’ve been perhaps even bolder with accusations (i.e. about chemical weapons), with the media hysteria. Their weapons were said to be actually effective (NLAWs), as opposed to USian javelins.
For a while it felt quite the opposite - as if UK was actively attempting to return to the big boys club.
It’s the last gasps of a power in rapid decline. Britain’s military industrial complex is one of the few productive industries we have left. The feverish way in which the British ruling class has clutched at the bonanza of weapons sales is no different from an emaciated man being presented with a buffet. British imperialism is so advanced at this stage that it is practically chomping at the bit for a return to aggressive, open competition with other powers for a redivision of the world.
British imperialism is so advanced at this stage that it is practically chomping at the bit for a return to aggressive, open competition with other powers for a redivision of the world.
Well yes, that’s partially what I meant.
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The UK is part of AUKUS, which is a cultural/military (read “white supremacist”) alliance between the US, UK, and AUS. It seems that the US considers the UK one of its closest allies and will continue to strengthen that bond as it doesn’t take nonwhite allies seriously (like India) or abuses its non-anglo allies (basically Western Europe). There is an expanded version of this called AUSCANNZUKUS which includes Canada and New Zealand. All of these countries could be considered part of the new “Imperial Core” centered around the US.
My take is that, as the US loses power projection and allies, it will double down on these anglo alliances based on ‘shared heritage’ and tie them to the sinking ship. Some might break off and survive as regional powers, but for now they exist to funnel money into the American project. I think after the European Union suffers enough abuse from conflicts with Russia, they will start to notice they’re not part of the ‘elite’ AUKUS club and will start to call for cultural/political independence from the US (“hey, what are all these yankee military bases doing here, anyway?” they’ll say as America’s military budget deflates). But given how their economies are tied, it will become something more like a client state where they begrudgingly depend on the US/UK for energy and AUS for mineral resources, esp as their neocolonies increase trade with China. When the memory of the Ukraine War starts fading, they’ll probably start buying Russian gas again, minus their American contracts.
The UK itself, though, seems to be extremely interlinked with the American economy and political sphere that it seems like they would necessarily follow the same path of America’s ups and downs. So many British Bourgeoisie are tied up in American companies and so many British politicians are influenced by US-Funded think tanks that it feels like almost an honorary US State at this point. Brexit will continue to increase the gap between the rich and the poor, so it will definitely feel like the country is collapsing before it actually does. But before that happens there will be that “sublime moment in history” where the British and American 1% have funneled more wealth upward than ever before, and they will say the economy is working exactly as intended. We can see this sort of thing happening already.
There is an expanded version of this called AUSCANNZUKUS which includes Canada and New Zealand.
So basically just the anglo club as usual.
Exactly! Fuck Europe, Anglosaxons #1!
AUSCANNZUKUS
wow, you weren’t kidding
It’s tied with China’s Belt and Road Forum or “BaRF” among the world’s silly acronyms.
At least they can use “BRF” for that one
My take is that, as the US loses power projection and allies, it will double down on these anglo alliances based on ‘shared heritage’ and tie them to the sinking ship. Some might break off and survive as regional powers, but for now they exist to funnel money into the American project. I think after the European Union suffers enough abuse from conflicts with Russia, they will start to notice they’re not part of the ‘elite’ AUKUS club and will start to call for cultural/political independence from the US (“hey, what are all these yankee military bases doing here, anyway?” they’ll say as America’s military budget deflates). But given how their economies are tied, it will become something more like a client state where they begrudgingly depend on the US/UK for energy and AUS for mineral resources, esp as their neocolonies increase trade with China. When the memory of the Ukraine War starts fading, they’ll probably start buying Russian gas again, minus their American contracts.
I’m waiting for Ukraine to fall to see people join my side, but for now they’re all going all in, even when they’re being told that they’re not part of their club.
