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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2006
In 1959, William Appleman Williams published his "The Tragedy of American Diplomacy", which stated that U.S. foreign policy was an instrument of a wealthy oligarchy rather than a democracy. Inspired, New Left historians such as Gabriel Kolko applied the Williams thesis to their own studies of U.S. foreign policy. In 1963, Kolko had researched the origins of Anglo-American corporatism dubbing it by the Marxist-inspired oxymoron of "political capitalism". Reading New Left revisions is cumbersome because of the Marxists' confusion in political language - they almost always refer to corporatism and mercantilism as free enterprise or capitalism, yet these are apples and oranges. What the New Left complains about when they complain about "capitalists" is very true when talking about corporatists and mercantilists. The problem for the uninitiated reading these confusions is that they will think the New Left historians are attacking capitalism and free enterprise, which they are not (in fact, they seldom give evidence that they know what free enterprise or capitalism is). The New Left is attacking corporatism, mercantilism, and other forms of oligarchic economic activity but giving them the misnomer of capitalism. That said, these New Left historians have much to say about oligarchy, economics, and U.S/British foreign policy.
Whereas Williams had covered U.S. foreign policy since the economic crises of the 1890s, Kolko concentrates on the three years between 1943 and 1945. Kolko saw that the British and the Yanks were partnering-up not just to win a war, but to carve up the world much as Orwell described it in "1984". American-powered British Empire, according to Kolko, is a counter-revolutionary force to secure through American brawn "The Triumph of Conservatism" (1963) - the old oligarchic mercantilism of the British now partnered with the Yanks.
Kolko saw that World War Two was just the second half of the Great War. He saw that Anglo-American Empire was a global threat. He saw that the Cold War was instigated by the U.S. and the Anglo-American oligarchy. He saw their counter-revolutionary movement as conservative, bent on maintaining the status quo while increasing market share in the global arena. It is a Tory version of conservativism, as opposed to the American brand of liberty, property and freedom.
Kolko brings light to many questions, such as to what extent was U.S. foreign policy a response to the fifth column activities of Britain, their sleeper cells inside America, and other events beyond its control like FDR provoking the Japanese to strike at Pearl Harbor? Was the acquisition of an overseas empire a consequence or aim of war? Were the Americans duped by a game played by governments? Kolko sheds light on all these questions and more in this well-written book. The only caveat is that he gives corporatism the misnomer of capitalism. Instructive and an invaluable resource.
Whereas Williams had covered U.S. foreign policy since the economic crises of the 1890s, Kolko concentrates on the three years between 1943 and 1945. Kolko saw that the British and the Yanks were partnering-up not just to win a war, but to carve up the world much as Orwell described it in "1984". American-powered British Empire, according to Kolko, is a counter-revolutionary force to secure through American brawn "The Triumph of Conservatism" (1963) - the old oligarchic mercantilism of the British now partnered with the Yanks.
Kolko saw that World War Two was just the second half of the Great War. He saw that Anglo-American Empire was a global threat. He saw that the Cold War was instigated by the U.S. and the Anglo-American oligarchy. He saw their counter-revolutionary movement as conservative, bent on maintaining the status quo while increasing market share in the global arena. It is a Tory version of conservativism, as opposed to the American brand of liberty, property and freedom.
Kolko brings light to many questions, such as to what extent was U.S. foreign policy a response to the fifth column activities of Britain, their sleeper cells inside America, and other events beyond its control like FDR provoking the Japanese to strike at Pearl Harbor? Was the acquisition of an overseas empire a consequence or aim of war? Were the Americans duped by a game played by governments? Kolko sheds light on all these questions and more in this well-written book. The only caveat is that he gives corporatism the misnomer of capitalism. Instructive and an invaluable resource.
