Is China an Imperialist country by the definition of Lenin’s Scientific Imperialism theory? 4-5- The Seven Conditions of Imperialism
Is China an Imperialist country by the definition of Lenin’s Scientific Imperialism theory?
4. The Scientific Definition of Imperialism
The full 40-page exposition of Lenin's definition is covered in the
preceding article. Here, we extract the essential economic and political
criteria (the 'Seven Conditions') necessary for empirical testing. It is imperative to
distinguish between expansionism as a general historical phenomenon
(exemplified by pre-capitalist empires like Tsarist Russia or the Ottomans) and
imperialism as a scientific Marxist-Leninist category, which Lenin rigorously
defined as the highest stage of capitalism, characterized by the dominance of
finance capital and monopoly. The accusation against China invokes Lenin's
scientific definition. Therefore, disproving China's capitalist character
simultaneously disproves the imperialist accusation. We are not debating
geopolitical expansionism in the abstract; we are testing specific economic and
political formations.
The economic essence of
imperialism lies in the replacement of free competition by the domination of
monopolies. “Monopolies” generally refer to single entities controlling the
entire market for a given particular goods or services. “Trusts”, “cartels” etc.,
refer to combinations of companies controlling a substantial portion of the
market for goods and services.
4.2- Political Aspect
summarized
Political definition of imperialist state may be summarized as “the systematic militarization of the economy, converting productive capacity into instruments of subjugation, while financial/tech/trade systems are weaponized to sustain global dominance.” Imperialism and war are inseparable twins. That is why the issue of “imperialism” and attitude to it cannot be studied independently from its political aspect- that is (militarization of industry and) war- in each given concrete condition and situation.
4.3- Scientific definition
summarized
Lenin was saying that “Abstract
theoretical reasoning may lead to the conclusion at which Kautsky has arrived
.. by abandoning Marxism. It goes without saying that there can be no
concrete historical assessment of war, unless it is based on a
thorough analysis of the nature of imperialism, both in its economic and
political aspects.” (1) "Marxist must proceed not from what is possible,
but from what is real" (33) branding of a country as "imperialist
" in its scientific meaning should be made based on the concrete realities
of that given time with the answer to the questions of; 1) whether the country
is a producer or consumer, 2) whether the interests of that
given country is aligned with war or peace, 3) whether the country has a
military industry and the economy of which is built on war-footing for
subjugating the others. 4) whether it has a military aggressive posture or
a defensive posture. Lacking any of these characteristics at that given time, a
country cannot be branded as "imperialist" in its scientific meaning
without differentiation.
5- The Seven Conditions of Imperialism - Application
of the scientific concept of imperialism to China
Item-by-Item Examination of the
Seven "Imperialist" Conditions
Condition 1: Monopolization;
monopolization of all major industries under the dominance of finance capital
Among China's major
industries, state-owned enterprises occupy 27 of the top 30 positions
and account for over 60% of infrastructure investment. State
capital dominates strategic industries such as energy, transportation,
communications, and finance. However, this is a state monopoly rather
than a private financial capital monopoly; decision-making power belongs to the
Party and state institutions, not private financial oligarchs. This
differs fundamentally from Lenin's description of "finance capital
rule" in terms of ownership and control.
Condition 2: The
formation of state capitalism; to consolidate other major state institutions
While Chinese SOEs pursue
profits, they also bear policy objectives. The government uses SOEs
to implement industrial policies, drive technological innovation, and
execute strategic development tasks. This model can be described as a "state-led
market economy." However, whether it constitutes "state
capitalism" depends on the definition; if "state
capitalism" means the state serves capital accumulation, then
it does exhibit certain features; but if it means the state itself has
become the executive committee of the bourgeoisie, that does not align with
China's ownership structure.
Condition 3: Export
of capital – monopolizing and controlling international financial institutions
and transactions
Indicator 2024 Data on
China's Outward Direct Investment (ODI):
ODI Flow $192.2
billion USD, up 8.4% year-on-year; Global Share 11.9%, Global
Ranking among the global top 3 for 13 consecutive years; ODI Stock
$3.14 trillion USD, Number of Overseas Enterprises 52,000, covering
190 countries and regions, Investment in "Belt and Road"
Countries 19,000 overseas enterprises
China is indeed one of the
world's major capital exporters. However, regarding control
of international financial institutions, China's voting rights in the IMF
and the World Bank are far lower than those of the United States; it
does not dominate these institutions. The Asian Infrastructure
Investment Bank (AIIB) and the New Development Bank, which China has led in
establishing, are supplementary arrangements for China's participation in
international financial governance and have not yet formed monopolistic
control over the international financial system.
Condition 4: Deindustrialization
– shifting production to other countries for cheap labor
China's manufacturing value-added
as a share of GDP: 1997-38.5%, 2024 - 24.9%
China's manufacturing share has
indeed declined from its peak, but it remains at 24.9% –
much higher than that of typical "deindustrialized" countries like
the United States (approx. 11%) and the United Kingdom
(approx. 9%). China has remained the world's largest
manufacturing nation for 15 consecutive years, and the value-added of
high-tech manufacturing grew by 8.9%. This indicates that China
has not experienced "deindustrialization" in the classic
sense; the decline in manufacturing share is a natural result of economic
structural evolution (the rising share of the service sector), not
industrial hollowing-out.
Condition 5: Militarization;
a war economy of an offensive, aggressive character
China's military expenditure 2024
data: National Defense Expenditure 1.665 trillion RMB (approx. $236
billion USD), Share of GDP 1.27%–1.71% (depending on statistical
sources), Global Average 1.8%, NATO Target 2%, United
States 3.4%
China's military expenditure as a
share of GDP is below the global average and far below NATO's 2%
target. While China's military spending has grown for 30 consecutive
years, its share of GDP has remained below 1.5% for a long period. In
terms of the share of military spending in GDP, China does not display
the characteristics of a "war economy." Of course, the total
military budget is large (second in the world), but this is a function
of its economic size, not a "war economy" model.
Condition 6: Transition
from producer to consumer country; dependence on resource-rich and producer
countries
China's manufacturing sector
accounts for 24.9% of GDP, and it remains the world's largest manufacturing
producer. China is also the world's largest importer of natural
resources (oil, natural gas, iron ore, copper, etc.) and is highly
dependent on resource imports. However, China has not transitioned
from a "producer" to a "consumer" country – it
remains the core production node of global supply chains. China's global
leadership in new energy (electric vehicles, batteries, solar power)
further reinforces its role as a producer.
Condition 7:
Permanent military export; permanently deploying military forces to other
countries to suppress resistance.
China's overseas military
presence: One logistics support base in Djibouti as a comparison with the
US. The US has approximately 800 overseas bases.
China has only one logistics
support military base overseas (in Djibouti), and its function is logistical
replenishment, not combat deployment. Compared to the US's
approximately 800 overseas military bases and permanent stationing of hundreds
of thousands of troops, China's overseas military presence is
negligible. UN peacekeeping operations are international obligations
within a multilateral framework and are not "imperialist" military
exports in an aggressive sense.
5.1- Summary of Comprehensive
Assessment
1. Financial Capital Monopoly;
State monopoly exists, but it is not a private financial capital
monopoly
2. State Capitalism;
The state plays a dominant role in the economy, but the ownership
structure is not capitalist
3. Capital Export; Control
of International Finance: Partially (capital export) / No (control of
international finance). Large-scale capital export, but does not control
international financial institutions. Participation in global capital flows is
not the same as domination. Imperialism requires the latter, the monopolistic
control of international finance, not merely its use.
4. Deindustrialization;
Manufacturing share is 24.9%; remains the world's largest manufacturing nation
5. Offensive
Militarization; Military spending as % of GDP is below the
global average and NATO target
6.
Producer to Consumer Transition; Remains the world's
largest producer
7. Permanent Military
Export; Only 1 overseas logistics base
China does have large-scale
capital exports and state monopolies, but it lacks the prerequisite of
"bourgeois control of the state," as well as the key
characteristics of offensive military expansion and deindustrialization.
Having tested China against the
seven conditions as they exist in present material reality, and finding them
unmet, the scientific case is closed. To definitively close the theoretical
loophole, however, we must now establish the qualitative class character of the
Chinese state—because a state that is presently under the dictatorship of the
proletariat cannot simultaneously, in the same historical moment, be the organ
of finance capital. This final verification solidifies the verdict.
