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ABSTRACTS
PROKLA 139 Robert H. Wade: On the Causes of Increasing World Poverty and Inequality, or Why the Matthew Effect Prevails. A widespread neoliberal argument tells us, that increasing globalisation has caused a considerable decrease in world poverty during the last two decades. In the article it is shown, that this result depends on the method of measurement, and on the countries which are considered as “globalisers”. In contrast to such doubtful results, it is argued that the structures of world economy and the “primacy project” of the USA support increasing global inequality, a worldwide “Matthew Effect”, ‘to him that hath, shall be given’. Philipp Hersel: On the global inequality in consumption of nature – The role of the international financial system for the valorisation, destruction and redistribution of the natural resources of the South. The vast majority of global natural resources is consumed and destroyed by a small minority of mankind in industrialised countries. The paper assesses the role that the international financial system and financial markets play in affecting access, consumption and destruction of global natural resources. By reviewing the causal links between the dynamics of indebtedness, currency crises and the proliferation of project finance by credit and direct investment on the one hand with exploitation of natural resources and the geographical distribution of their consumption and valorisation. It appears that the international financial system plays a significant and systemic role in facilitating the concentration of the global natural resources’ consumption in the North. Heide Gerstenberger, Ulrich Welke: National sovereignty as a commodity. While free trade zones, offshore banking and open ship registers have long been known, it is only during the last three decades that the offshore complex has become an important structural element of the world market. Governments offer special conditions for non-citizens on a world market. While these “havens” are often made use of for criminal activi-ties, their use has also become a feature of legal strategies in the global economy. As far as the shipping industry is concerned “flags of convenience” offer several possibilities for cost reduction, the most important factor being the possibility to legally circumvent na-tional labor markets. Most seafarers of today therefore work in a politico-legal no-man’s land. Hans-Jürgen Bieling: The European Union: a New Superpower with Imperial Ambitions? Recent theoretical conceptions of imperialism may be useful correctives against idealising and harmonising views of international interdependency and co-operation. Analytically, however, they are not necessarily helpful. In terms of the EU, they do not really comprehend its particular international role. Despite improved financial and military ca-pacities, the EU represents not yet an imperial power. Instead, it still pursues a rather hegemonic foreign policy approach due to internal economic restrictions, fragmented po-litical sovereignty and the historical experiences of beneficial economic and political co-operation after World War II. Eventually, however, it remains an open question, whether the multilateralist, law-based and co-operative posture of the EU will prevail even under conditions of economic crisis and further military conflicts in the adjacent neighbourhood. Antje Blöcker, Michael Wortmann: Structural Change in German Apparel Retailing. The article relates the structural change in German apparel retailing with different patterns of international sourcing. While vertically integrated multiples are sourcing most of their specialised products directly, discounters prefer German agents as intermediaries. Traditional high-end manufacturers also increasingly outsource their manufacturing, becoming more and more similar to retailers. Different sourcing strategies produce losers and winners in German retailing. Miriam Heigl: On the road to the final crisis of capitalism? Contributions from a world-system perspective to the new debate on imperialism. Once again, imperialism is the subject of critical debate. Amongst the contributions to this debate, we find approaches as different as Empire (Hardt/Negri), informal imperialism (Panitch/Gindin) or works from a world-system perspective (Arrighi, Chase-Dunn and Wallerstein). The article intends to explore impulses offered by the world-system approach to the current debate on imperialism and deliver a critical assessment of new works in the field of world-system theory. It is argued that major problems of the new works of world-system theory consist in insufficient foundations of their basic theoretical assumptions (economic and hegemonic cycles) and often in a fixation on the approaching final crisis of capitalism. Étienne Balibar: Which European Constitution? The problem of a European Constitution is discussed at a fundamental level. In which way, can we speak about such a Constitution? Thearticle argues against the “postnational souveranism”, legitimating state against citizens. A new kind of citizenship is favoured based on extended social rights. The constitution now proposed contrarily makes the European Central Bank and its neoliberal policy to central and nearly unchangeable institution. Tobias Pflüger: Against this EU-Constitution Treaty. The EU-Constitution, as it looks now, includes not only an orientation on neoliberal policies, an essential part is also the “common defence policy”, pressing the EU members to spend more money for military purposes and preparing the EU for being a strong military power, which can intervene worldwide. Isabell Lorey. The Return of the Repressed derived from the Example of the Dis-gust. Regarding the Photos of Torture from Abu Ghraib. One year ago in German feuilletons, disgust and abhorrence were one of the first reactions on the publication of the photos of torture. Especially on the photos with Lynndie England. The paper follows this reactions of disgust and asks for the meaning of the pictures in the cultural imaginary of the west. Zu den AutorInnen Étienne
Balibar
lehrte Philosophie an der Universität Paris-Nanterre
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