Geust Lecture on US Imperialism

Simon presented our class with a very informative presentation surrounding US imperialism, and how their ideas have come to dominate global economics. First Simon commented on the existence of the state, I partially agree with some of his statements, but ultimately we live in time when the sovereignty of a nation is almighty regardless of its violations against the citizens who live there. The analogy of the cow tied to the tree was useful for putting into perspective the control of elites.

His critique of capitalism came from a Marxist/Leninist perspective, I’m not sure I understood everything but his critique seemed to point out that we as individuals have been socialized to disregard the environment, as we have adopted the viewpoint that it is there for us to exploit. It is clear that US imperialism dominates the agenda, with this comes direct disrespect for the environment so that domination can continue. Control over resources is important for capitalists to excel; this control allows them to determine they type of environmental policy they will have, especially since their influence over the political institutions is immense.