matthew's review
The Endgame of Globalization
by Neil Smith
matthew's review
The Endgame of Globalization by Neil Smith
matthew's review
rating:
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empire
Neil Smith, a Marxist geographer, argues that the supposed disjuncture between the neoliberal 1990s and post-9/11 neoconservative politics is largely a myth. He points out the similarities between the war in Iraq/war on terror and a early 20th century American imperialism. He also explores the realities of neoliberalism and suggests that the wars of the Bush administration are neoliberalism by other means. This is an important connection to draw, especially when people on the left have a special amnesia when discussing the Clinton-era, or argue that the Bush administration is the cause of all contemporary ills--forgetting the historic role of liberals/Democrats in justifying and supporting American imperialism. I would also argue that they *benefit* from American imperialism, a notion which Smith leaves out of his analysis. While he does a good job exposing the sordid history of (neo)liberal imperialism, he doesn't provide any sense of why they are such eager participants. Are li...more
