On Imperialism Theory Of The Second International Theorists

By the analysis of forms of capitalist monopoly organizations， expansion offinancial capital， realization of capital accumulation， organization and adaptation ofcapitalism， the origin， essence and manifestation of imperialism in the period of thesecond international were investigated and the monopolistic， exclusive andexpansionary properties were revealed by Luxemburg， Kautsky， Hilferding，Bernstein and other second international theorists.The study on the problem of capitalism and imperialism enriches and developsMarxist critique of capitalism and deeply influences imperialism theory of Lenin andthe world system theory of Wallerstein. Luxemburg emphasized the role and importanceof non-imperialism to the realization of surplus value and capital accumulation byinvestigating the problem of imperialism under the historical development ofcapitalism： Hilferding explored Cartel tariff， economic zone and other causes ofimperialism and analyzed the formation and distensibility of imperialism by returning tothe distensibility of financial capital： Kautsky studied the importance of internationaldivision of labor and new industrial capital to the formation of imperialism， andproposed the controversial view of ultra-imperialism： Bernstein claimed theadaptability of capitalism and defended imperialism through the revision of Marxistview on tendency of capitalism. The study on imperialism from different aspects reflectstime spirit and theoretical value， however， there still exists some deficiencies andlimitations. The second international theorists fall into a pure economic analysis andpositivism tendency because of the ignorance of social historical criticism andhumanism in Marxist political economics： meanwhile， without the understanding ofMarxist thought of world history， they study the imperialism only rooted in capitalismby ignorance of the nationality， consciousness and the right to self-determination ofnon-capitalism countries and underdeveloped nations under imperialism. An objectiveevaluation of imperialism theory of the second international theorists is consequently theoretically necessary.At present， our country is under the international situation of world political andeconomic integration where imperialism is still wandering in the world system with anew appearance， and the essence of this new appearance is still what the secondinternational theorists tried to reveal. Review and exploration of imperialism theory ofthe second international theorists， therefore， can provide a theoretical support for ourcountry to cope with challenges of imperialism.