One, two or more imperialism

Abstract

The paper problematizes the understanding of the concept of imperialism in the current conjuncture, which is significantly determined by the Ukrainian crisis. In particular, the position of some of the leading left-wing intellectuals is criticized, with the claim that they omit the meaning that imperialism had in classical Marxist theory, as well as structural unequal power relations and unequal socioeconomic development that characterizes the modern world capitalist system. The paper uses the deductive method. By criticizing the positions of left-wing intellectuals who do not use the notion imperialism in a sufficiently clear way, nor according to the meaning that imperialism has in Marxist and world-system theory, an attempt is made to start a wider theoretical debate about what the notion imperialism should mean in contemporary (geo)political circumstances. In this context, the position of China in the world system is primarily discussed, which is presented in this paper as a semi-peripheral country that is not imperialistic and does not have a project of a new global hegemony, but uses its semi-peripheral position to strengthen its own regional strategy. It is concluded that there is currently only one imperialism as a stage in the development of capitalism and the only global hegemonic project under the leadership of the USA.