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This book provides analytical arguments that demonstrate the necessity to go beyond not only mainstream economics but also, and especially, the capitalist economy itself. It provides a radical critique of mainstream economics, comparing it to an unscientific form of single thought, and applies this criticism to the specific fields of growth, development, the institutions, defense, or the environment. It targets both neoclassical economics and reformist oft heterodox currents, from neoinstitutionalists to neo-Keynesians--including Thomas Piketty or Amartya Sen, among others. In doing so, it rejects Keynes' theories of money, the crisis, and the state. It then offers a Marxist interpretation of the current crisis of capitalism, considering it as a systemic crisis without solutions internal to its own logic and dynamics, and emphasizes the links between this capitalist crisis and imperialist wars, and the destruction of the environment and natural resources by capital. The book concludes by arguing that we must find the necessary theoretical and practical alternatives in a Marxist perspective, advocating for socialist transitions away from the capitalist economy to protect humanity and the environment. Rémy Herrera is an economist and researcher at the CNRS (National Centre for Scientific Research) and teaches Ph.D. students in Economics at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, France.

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Chapter One COLONIAL FOUNDATIONS -- Chapter Two THE RISE OF A COMMERCIAL CENTER -- Chapter Three INTERREGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MERCHANTS -- Chapter Four THE FRINGES OF THE COMMERCIAL NETWORKS -- Chapter Five HARVESTING AND TRANSPORTING WEALTH -- Chapter Six REPLICATING THE EUROPEAN MATERIAL WORLD -- Chapter Seven THE WEALTH OF LITERACY -- Chapter Eight AFRICAN SLAVES AND FREE WORKERS -- Chapter Nine INDIGENOUS CORPORATE STRUCTURES -- Chapter Ten INDIGENOUS LABORERS -- Chapter Eleven THE EVER-PRESENT PAST -- NOTES -- GLOSSARY -- BIBLIOGRAPHY -- INDEX

This collection of essays is designed to shed light on the issues of imperialism and the transitions to socialism. Written by eighteen contributors, from twelve countries and three continents, it is organized into two main parts. The first section delves into the theoretical aspects, the analysis of which is key for understanding the subject under consideration. The second part of the volume is focused on the examination of practical experiences of socialist transition, more or less advanced and with varying degrees of success, in China, Vietnam, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Brazil. Imperialism and Transitions to Socialism argues that countries wanting to embark on a socialist transition is not only a response to a spirit of justice, but also an answer to the call of reason: it is a question of survival for humanity, and for life. Socialism is not just a word, it is a struggle. It is not an end, but a transition process, long and difficult, that can take many paths towards the liberation of labour from the domination of capital. It is socialism, a society of solidarity, which walks with history.

"Carl Schmitt, one of the most influential legal and political thinkers of the twentieth century, is known chiefly for his work on international law, sovereignty, and his doctrine of political exception. This book argues that greater prominence should be given to his early work in legal studies. Schmitt himself repeatedly identified as a jurist, and Hugo E. Herrera demonstrates how for Schmitt, law plays a key role as an intermediary between ideal, conceptual theory and the messiness and complexity of practical, concrete situations. Law is concerned precisely with balancing the extremes of theory and reality, and in this respect, Schmitt associates it with philosophical thinking broadly as being able to understand and explain the tensions in human experience. Reviewing and analyzing prevailing interpretations of Schmitt by Jacques Derrida, Heinrich Meier, and others, Herrera argues that the importance of Schmitt's legal framework is both significant and overlooked"--

Most of the world's population lives in cities in developing countries, where access to basic public services, such as water, electricity, and health clinics, is either inadequate or sorely missing. Water and Politics shows how politicians benefit politically from manipulating public service provision for electoral gain. In many young democracies, politicians exchange water service for votes or political support, rewarding allies or punishing political enemies. Surprisingly, the political problem of water provision has become more pronounced, as water service represents a valuable political currency in resource-scarce environments.

Water and Politics finds that middle-class and industrial elites play an important role in generating pressure for public service reforms.