Imperialism &amp; International Governance: The Case of US Policy towards Africa

From January 2024, all of our readers will be able to access every part of ROAPE as well as its archive without a paywall. This will make ROAPE accessible to a much wider readership, especially in Africa. We need subscriptions and donations to make this revolutionary intiative work.

Subscribe and Donate now!

scite_

Review of African Political Economy

Volume 30, Issue 95

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: found

Is Open Access

Imperialism & International Governance: The Case of US Policy towards Africa

research-article

Author(s): Robert Biel

Publication date (Print): March 2003

Journal: Review of African Political Economy

Publisher: Review of African Political Economy

Bookmark

Abstract

This article argues that capitalism requires a structure of international governance, and that this can fruitfully be interpreted by integrating elements of the imperialism perspective with international relations theory. A key issue is the study of the interface between country-level governance and that of the international system itself. Capitalism needs to adapt from a relatively simple state-centric model of international governance to one which encompasses and tries to exploit an environment peopled by regimes, non-governmental organisations, 'international civil society', and rapidly developing international law. But it seems that that this tendency is incompatible with an underlying imperative of deploying pure force in the selfish interests of the dominant powers, particularly the United States.

Content

Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): crea20

Journal ID (archive): CREA

Title: Review of African Political Economy

Publisher: Review of African Political Economy

ISSN (Print): 0305-6244

ISSN (Electronic): 1740-1720

Publication date (Print): March 2003

Volume: 30

Issue: 95

Pages: 77-88

Article

Publisher ID: 10032909 Coden ID: Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 30, No. 95, March 2003, pp. 77-88

DOI: 10.1080/03056240308368

SO-VID: a248efc1-ff5c-46eb-9420-d0eff1612959

License:

All content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission of the publisher or the author. Articles published in the journal are distributed under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

History

Page count

Figures: 0, Tables: 0, References: 26, Pages: 12

References

Alden C. . 2000. . “'From Neglect to 'Virtual Engagement': the United States and its New Paradigm for Africa'. ”.
Biel R. . 2000. . The New Imperialism . , London : : Zed Books. .
Burbach R. . 1993. . “The Tragedy of American Democracy'. ”. In Low Intensity Democracy - Political Power in the New World Order . , Edited by: Gills B. . London : : Pluto Press. .
Campbell Kurt M and Flournoy Michèle A. . 2001. . To Prevail - An American Strategy for the Campaign against Terrorism . , Washington, DC : : Center for Strategic and International Studies. .
Cohen Herman J. . 2000. . Intervening in Africa Superpower Peacemaking in a Troubled Continent . , Basingstoke : : Macmillan. .
Dunn Kevin C and Shaw Timothy M. , eds. 2001. . Africa 's Challenge to International Relations Theory . , Basingstoke : : Palgrave. .
Dunn and Shaw. , eds. 2001. . “'Madlib 032: the (BlanK) African State: Rethinking the Sovereign State in International Relations Theory'. ”.
Emewu Ikenna. . 2002. . 'The US Patriot Act And Human Rights'. . Lagos: This Day . , 22 March;
Foltz William. . 1986. . “'United States Military and Strategic Interests in Africa'. ”. In Beyond Constructive Engagement - United States Foreign Policy Toward Africa . , Edited by: Skinner Elliott P. . New York : : Paragon House. .
Gordon David F. . 1998. . The United States and Africa - A Post Cold War Perspective . , New York (W.W. Norton) : : for the American Assembly, Columbia University. .
Guyatt Nicholas. . 2000. . Another American Cent in j? - The United States and the World After 2000 . , London : : Zed Books. .
Hearn Julie. . 2001. . The 'Uses and Abuses' of Civil Society in Africa'. . Review of African Political Economy . , Vol. 27((87)) March;
Hobson J A. . 1938. . Imperialism - A Study . , 3rd edition. , London : : G. Alien / Unwin. .
Kissinger Henry A. . 1957. . A World Restored . , Boston : : Houghton Mifflin. .
Lewis Peter M. . February. 2001 . Pursuing U.S Economic Interests in Africa . , February. , Washington, DC : : Center for Strategic and International Studies. .
Louis W R and Robinson R. . 1982. . “The US and the Liquidation of the British Empire in Tropical Africa 1941-51'. ”. In The Transfer of Power in Africa . , Edited by: P and Gifford Louis. . New Haven : : Yale University Press. .
Lyons Terence. . 2000. . “'US Diplomacy'. ”. In A Revient of U.S. Africa Policy . , Washington, DC : : Center for Strategic and International Studies. .
2000. . Presentation at the Woodrow Wilson Center Conference, The Future of USAfrica Policy'; . December. 2000 ; .
Perl Raphael F. . 1 September. 1998 . Terrorism: U.S. Response to Bombings in Kenya and Tanzania: A New Policy Direction? . , 1 September. , Congressional Research Service. .
Roosevelt Theodore. . Annual Message to Congress; . December 6– 1904 ; .
Robinson William L. . 1996. . Promoting Polyarcliy - Globalisation, US Intervention and Hegemony . , Cambridge : : Cambridge University Press. .
Rousseau Jean-Jacques. . 1964 [1759]. . Extrait du Projet de Paix perpetuelle de Monsieur l'Abbé de Saint Pierre [1759] in Rousseau, Oeuvres completes, Tome III . , Paris : : Gallimard. .
Schraeder Peter J. . 1994. . United States Foreign Policy Toward Africa - lncrementalism, Crisis and Change . , Cambridge : : Cambridge University Press. .
Soke Hussein AIi. . 2002. . Africa Conflict Journal . , 7 January;
United States. . 18 March. 2002 . The White 1 louse . 18 March. ,
Young T and Williams D. . 1994. . 'Governance, the World Bank and Liberal Theory'. . Political Studies . , Vol. 42((1)) March;

Comments

Comment on this article

[1] Alden C. . 2000. . “'From Neglect to 'Virtual Engagement': the United States and its New Paradigm for Africa'. ”.

[2] Biel R. . 2000. . The New Imperialism . , London : : Zed Books. .

[3] Burbach R. . 1993. . “The Tragedy of American Democracy'. ”. In Low Intensity Democracy - Political Power in the New World Order . , Edited by: Gills B. . London : : Pluto Press. .

[4] Campbell Kurt M and Flournoy Michèle A. . 2001. . To Prevail - An American Strategy for the Campaign against Terrorism . , Washington, DC : : Center for Strategic and International Studies. .

[5] Cohen Herman J. . 2000. . Intervening in Africa Superpower Peacemaking in a Troubled Continent . , Basingstoke : : Macmillan. .

[6] Dunn Kevin C and Shaw Timothy M. , eds. 2001. . Africa 's Challenge to International Relations Theory . , Basingstoke : : Palgrave. .

[7] Dunn and Shaw. , eds. 2001. . “'Madlib 032: the (BlanK) African State: Rethinking the Sovereign State in International Relations Theory'. ”.

[8] Emewu Ikenna. . 2002. . 'The US Patriot Act And Human Rights'. . Lagos: This Day . , 22 March;

[9] Foltz William. . 1986. . “'United States Military and Strategic Interests in Africa'. ”. In Beyond Constructive Engagement - United States Foreign Policy Toward Africa . , Edited by: Skinner Elliott P. . New York : : Paragon House. .

[10] Gordon David F. . 1998. . The United States and Africa - A Post Cold War Perspective . , New York (W.W. Norton) : : for the American Assembly, Columbia University. .

[11] Guyatt Nicholas. . 2000. . Another American Cent in j? - The United States and the World After 2000 . , London : : Zed Books. .

[12] Hearn Julie. . 2001. . The 'Uses and Abuses' of Civil Society in Africa'. . Review of African Political Economy . , Vol. 27((87)) March;

[13] Hobson J A. . 1938. . Imperialism - A Study . , 3rd edition. , London : : G. Alien / Unwin. .

[14] Kissinger Henry A. . 1957. . A World Restored . , Boston : : Houghton Mifflin. .

[15] Lewis Peter M. . February. 2001 . Pursuing U.S Economic Interests in Africa . , February. , Washington, DC : : Center for Strategic and International Studies. .

[16] Louis W R and Robinson R. . 1982. . “The US and the Liquidation of the British Empire in Tropical Africa 1941-51'. ”. In The Transfer of Power in Africa . , Edited by: P and Gifford Louis. . New Haven : : Yale University Press. .

[17] Lyons Terence. . 2000. . “'US Diplomacy'. ”. In A Revient of U.S. Africa Policy . , Washington, DC : : Center for Strategic and International Studies. .

[18] 2000. . Presentation at the Woodrow Wilson Center Conference, The Future of USAfrica Policy'; . December. 2000 ; .

[19] Perl Raphael F. . 1 September. 1998 . Terrorism: U.S. Response to Bombings in Kenya and Tanzania: A New Policy Direction? . , 1 September. , Congressional Research Service. .

[20] Roosevelt Theodore. . Annual Message to Congress; . December 6– 1904 ; .

[21] Robinson William L. . 1996. . Promoting Polyarcliy - Globalisation, US Intervention and Hegemony . , Cambridge : : Cambridge University Press. .

[22] Rousseau Jean-Jacques. . 1964 [1759]. . Extrait du Projet de Paix perpetuelle de Monsieur l'Abbé de Saint Pierre [1759] in Rousseau, Oeuvres completes, Tome III . , Paris : : Gallimard. .

[23] Schraeder Peter J. . 1994. . United States Foreign Policy Toward Africa - lncrementalism, Crisis and Change . , Cambridge : : Cambridge University Press. .

[24] Soke Hussein AIi. . 2002. . Africa Conflict Journal . , 7 January;

[25] United States. . 18 March. 2002 . The White 1 louse . 18 March. ,

[26] Young T and Williams D. . 1994. . 'Governance, the World Bank and Liberal Theory'. . Political Studies . , Vol. 42((1)) March;