What is imperialism?

Monopoly capitalism. It is the monopoly stage of capitalism, and it is also the highest class and the last stage of capitalist development. With the development of productive forces and the improvement of socialization of production, the capitalist relations of production have undergone new changes, and the rule of monopoly organizations has become the basis of economic life, and capitalism has entered the monopoly stage from the stage of free competition. Lenin pointed out that imperialism is a system, that is, "a very small number of' advanced' countries impose colonial oppression and financial repression on most residents in the world." At the same time, it scientifically analyzes the historical position of imperialism and points out the inevitability of its replacement by the socialist system. The essence and deepest foundation of imperialism is monopoly. The most basic economic characteristics of imperialism are: ① the concentration of production and capital has developed to the point where a monopoly organization plays a decisive role in economic life; (2) Bank capital and industrial capital have merged, forming a financial oligarchy on the basis of this "financial capital"; (3) Capital export, different from commodity export, has special significance; (4) formed an international monopoly alliance of capitalists to carve up the world; The largest capitalist power carved up the territory of the world.

Capitalist countries use military, political and economic means to occupy, enslave and exploit weak countries, nationalities and backward areas, turning them into colonial and semi-colonial aggressive policies.

colonialism

Capitalist countries use military, political and economic means to occupy, enslave and exploit weak countries, nationalities and backward areas, turning them into colonial and semi-colonial aggressive policies.

In different periods of capitalist development, colonialism has different manifestations. During the primitive accumulation of capital period, naked violence was often used, such as armed occupation, overseas migration, piracy, fraudulent trade and bloody slave trade. In the period of free capitalism, underdeveloped countries, nationalities and regions are mainly turned into their own commodity markets, raw materials producing areas, investment places, cheap labor and mercenaries through the form of "free trade". During the imperialist period, in addition to the above means, capital export became the main form of exploitation of these countries, nationalities and regions. 19 At the end of the 20th century, countries and regions that became colonies and semi-colonies in the world formed an imperialist colonial system. After the Second World War, colonial and semi-colonial national independence movements surged, and a large number of Asian and African countries gained independence, destroying the imperialist colonial system. Countries pursuing colonial policies turned to indirect, hidden and deceptive forms to safeguard and seek colonial interests. Politically, on the one hand, colonial and semi-colonial independence is allowed and recognized, on the other hand, control is exercised by cultivating or fostering agents; Economically, in the form of providing "assistance", we control the economic lifeline of these countries and plunder them by means of harsh loans, unequal trade and the organization of multinational companies; Militarily, in the form of providing military "assistance", these countries set up military bases, sent troops, sent military advisers, helped train troops, and carried out disguised military occupation. In order to achieve their strategic goals, they even instigated a coup, provoked a civil war and fostered a puppet regime. These are collectively called neo-colonialism.