"Lenin" was the revolutionary name that the man born "Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov" adopted.
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Two major predictions about capitalism by Marx:
Pre-WWI: Socialist International calls on all its member parties to resist war, which is only a scheme where workers kill other workers for the benefit of the owning class. "A rich man's war, a poor man's fight."
In 1917, when Lenin wrote, the two predictions about capitalism had not come true. Capitalism had not failed, and the workers were getting better off, not immiserated. Instead of a revolutionary consciousness, the workers were developing no more than a "trade union consciousness", i.e., contenting themselves with dickering with the owning class for a better deal instead of overthrowing the whole unjust system. Nationalism had not been washed away; in fact, the Socialist International (the "Second International") had collapsed as its member socialist parties all bowed to the war fever of their respective countries, much as critics of U.S. foreign policy headed for cover (or were drowned out and/or suppressed) in the flood of post-9/11 patriotic fervor.
Lenin: Imperialism <— "Empire" <— "Colonial empire". As Lenin says in the last paragraph of the reading selection, capitalism is saving itself by exploiting colonies and using the profits in part to buy off their own workers. (Note rise of A.F. of L. under Samuel Gompers vs. repression of IWW.) The colonial subjects are relatively powerless: often enslaved; in any case not organized; unable to threaten the imperial power very much even if they do organize.
War arises because of competition among the owning classes of the various countries for control of colonies.
However, in the long run, capitalism is still doomed as the limits of exploitation of colonies is reached.
Note in the last 25 years the decline in labor's average wages and conditions of employment (benefits, overtime pay, etc.), even in the United States. Capital becomes international; the support of U.S. workers is less needed. Recall Phil Knight, the chair of Nike, cheering for Brazil against the United States in the 1996 World Cup because Brazil was wearing Nikes, the U.S. Adidas.
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