The Republic of Cuba sending out numerous troops to defend the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela was a loss for the Republic of Cuba but a gain for the BRV, so it was not imperialist. (Quite the opposite, if anything.)
Admittedly, this is a somewhat crude and informal understanding of imperialism, but it should be easy enough to grasp for those who unwisely oversimplify imperialism to just countries doing stuff in other countries.
Yep, even that way of describing it, though less academic and in-depth than Lenin’s, still getd far closer to the heart of the matter than those who, as you say, reduce it to “doing stuff.”
The way that I see it, imperialism is just a parasitic relationship that one capitalist country has with another country or region.
The Fascists’ relations with Somalia were imperialist because they were an overall gain for the Fascists but an overall loss for the Somalis.
The Republic of Cuba sending out numerous troops to defend the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela was a loss for the Republic of Cuba but a gain for the BRV, so it was not imperialist. (Quite the opposite, if anything.)
Admittedly, this is a somewhat crude and informal understanding of imperialism, but it should be easy enough to grasp for those who unwisely oversimplify imperialism to just countries doing stuff in other countries.
Yep, even that way of describing it, though less academic and in-depth than Lenin’s, still getd far closer to the heart of the matter than those who, as you say, reduce it to “doing stuff.”
How to not be imperialist: have ADHD and don’t get stuff done.
ADHD is imperializing my time 🫠