Marxism, alongside its later adaptations such as dependency theory and world-systems theory, provides a critical framework for understanding international relations. Unlike realism and liberalism, which focus on states, power, and cooperation, Marxism emphasizes the role of economic structures, class conflict, and global inequalities. Its key insight is that international politics cannot be separated from the global capitalist system, which creates hierarchies between classes and between nations.
{inAds}
The Foundations of Marxism
At its core, Marxism argues that society is shaped by economic production relations. Politics, law, and culture are not independent but rather reflect the underlying economic base.
- Class Conflict: History advances through class struggle, particularly between the bourgeoisie (owners of capital) and the proletariat (working class).
- Surplus Value Theory: Capitalists exploit workers by extracting surplus value—the difference between what labor produces and what workers are paid.
- The Collapse of Capitalism: According to Marx, capitalism contains the seeds of its own destruction, as exploitation and crises eventually lead to a workers’ revolution.
Marxism and Imperialism
Marxist thinkers extended the theory of capitalism to explain imperialism and global power structures.
- J.A. Hobson: Suggested that overproduction in capitalist economies pushes states to seek external markets and colonies.
- Vladimir Lenin: Defined imperialism as the highest stage of capitalism, where monopolies and finance capital dominate. Competition for markets, resources, and colonies becomes inevitable.
- Paul Sweezy: Highlighted monopolistic capital and the export of capital as driving forces behind the global division of markets.
Neo-Marxism and Dependency Theory
Post–World War II scholars expanded Marxist analysis into the dependency theory, explaining why underdeveloped nations remained poor despite decolonization.
- Andre Gunder Frank: Argued that underdevelopment is not natural but rather the result of exploitation by advanced “core” nations.
- Samir Amin: Divided the world into core and periphery, stressing that capitalist development in the center perpetuates dependency in the periphery.
- Paul Baran: Proposed socialist planning as a necessary step for genuine development in poorer nations.
Modern Marxist Approaches
Contemporary Marxist scholars have broadened the analysis of global inequality:
- Johan Galtung: Viewed imperialism as multi-dimensional, including economic, political, military, and cultural domination.
- Immanuel Wallerstein: Developed the World-Systems Theory, dividing the world into core, semi-periphery, and periphery. Core states dominate trade and technology, while peripheral states remain dependent on raw materials and cheap labor.
- Robert Cox: Examined how global hegemony, exercised by dominant powers such as Britain in the 19th century or the United States in the 20th, sustains international order.
Core–Periphery Dynamics
The core–periphery framework illustrates how economic inequality is embedded in the global system:
- Core states: Advanced economies with industrial capacity, technological leadership, and global financial power.
- Periphery states: Economies reliant on raw material exports, cheap labor, and subject to external influence.
- Semi-periphery states: Positioned between the two, often industrializing but still dependent on the global system.
This structure explains persistent inequality in the international system, where economic growth in the core often comes at the expense of the periphery.
{inAds}
Conclusion
Marxism and its extensions, such as dependency theory and world-systems analysis, challenge mainstream international relations theories by highlighting how global capitalism shapes power relations. Unlike realism, which emphasizes power and survival, or liberalism, which stresses cooperation, Marxism exposes the structural inequalities of the capitalist world order.
From class conflict within states to core–periphery dynamics globally, Marxist theories remain central to understanding the persistent patterns of inequality, dependency, and hegemony in international relations.
