Introduction

The Editors

IN OUR PREVIOUS issue (ATC 59), we published the first contributions to our symposium on “Imperialism Today and Tomorrow.” We present here a second group of responses. Our letter soliciting participants asked them to discuss whether classic theories of imperialism remain relevant and also invited responses to three specific questions:

a. Is there such a thing as a `humanitarian intervention’ carried out by U.S. forces? Does the left’s toleration and occasional advocacy of intervention in Somalia, Bosnia and Haiti indicate an astute recognition of new realities or a serious error?

b. What is the significance of the rise to world dominance of transnational financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank?

c. Can the left maintain its long-held, principled opposition to imperialism without appearing irrelevant and sectarian? What specific actions or strategies do you recommend that the left pursue.

We requested brief responses, in the range of around 1000 words, although we realized that this would not permit extensive developments of the argument. The symposium will continue in our next issue.

ATC 60, January-February 1996