Best known as the first leader of the Soviet Union, Vladimir Lenin was also Communist philosopher and thinker who expounded on social, historical, and economic issues. While the world was engulfed in the First World War, Lenin wrote Imperialism to present his theory that capitalism, taken to its extremes, created monopolies and generated the need and desire for colonialism, the conquering of new markets and the imposition of one's social structures on another society. These actions in turn fostered imperialism, a practice where strong nations gain political, economic, and social dominance over weaker ones, exploiting their resources and people for their own benefit. The First World War was an excellent example of this, according to Lenin, with Imperialist powers on both sides seeking to retain control of the parts of the world they already controlled.
As a capitalist business became more efficient and generated extra capital, it sought to improve and expand its services while also acquire its competitors, to reduce competition and increases prices. Successful businesses could achieve a monopolistic status at home. As it continued to generate capital, it would then seek additional opportunities outside the boundaries of its state. As it expanded elsewhere, it could lobby its own government to impose favorable terms on the other countries, and, when profits were threatened, the State could militarily intervene. This in turn led to imperalist expansions, and inflict pain and suffering on the local populations as they were mercilessly exploited.
Though Lenin's vision of the world never came to be, his views on imperialism and the exploitative nature of colonialism remains important to understand the world we live in today.
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