Introducing Students to Sociology and the American Empire* By

Peter Iadicola, Ph.D. Indiana University - Purdue University Fort Wayne, Indiana

March 2005

*Presented at the Annual meeting of the Great Lakes American Studies Association, March 18 and 19, 2005, Indiana University - Purdue University, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Introducing Students to Sociology and the American Empire Teaching the students about an empire that they have not been educated about throughout their entire schooling of history, social studies, and civics classes can be a challenge. In some cases, students were attuned to the existence of empire. It is all around them, "homeland security," "the national guard fighting in Iraq," "regime change to defend the American way of life" to name a few aspects of their environment that makes its presence more obvious. However, it is also like the Kinsey experience. For Kinsey teaching about sex and sexual behavior of different species of animals, in this case human, is teaching biology. Teaching students about the nature of empire, in particular the largest and most powerful one in human history, The United States of America, is teaching sociology. But for the larger academic community, including colleagues of students and administrators, and the larger urban community that my university is part, there experience is more likely to be either it should not be discussed or more frequently like Kinsey's father in the recent film Kinsey, is an issue of denial. Describing how to discuss the empire as a means of teaching sociology, is not like treating the topic as a separate subject matter of the course, but rather it is the subject matter of the course. You can't really discuss the society we call the United States of America and illustrate key concepts in sociology, without discussing the empire. I have come to realize that the topic permeates all aspect of the sociology of the United States and also the very sociology of knowledge, how we know, the discipline of sociology, and its America version or influence on the discipline. I have found that as I become more aware of the nature of empire and how it is a force effecting all humankind, I am increasingly introducing the term and its connection to more and more topics within the course. Course Overview As a way of beginning a description of my introductory sociology class, let me just mention the basic course requirements. The course is intended to be an introductory survey course in sociology. The text that I use is comes from a more critical perspective, In Conflict and Order: Understanding Society. However, the text like all the others in the field makes no mention of empire or imperialism in discussing societies in general or U.S. society in particular. Recently, I have supplement the text book with additional readings that introduce the topic. This past semester I used a muckraking journalistic piece by Greg Palast entitled The Best Democracy Money Can Buy. In this

book there is a chapter entitled Sell the Lexus, Burn the Olive Tree, that provides a critique of globalization, specifically the role of the WTO, World Bank, IMF and their impact on people in developing countries. Unfortunately, there is no discussion connecting these forces to the nature of imperialism. This semester I am using Parenti's book Against Empire which provides a more comprehensive treatment of the nature of empire and the U.S. empire in particular. At the beginning of the course, I note that the principle focus of the course will be in describing the sociological disciplinary perspective, an introduction as to how sociologists know or create sociological knowledge, and the sociological nature of the United States of America. I discuss with them how there are problems with focusing on our own society to understand the nature of sociological concepts. I explain to them that because we have been socialized to this social system, we have been taught to understand the society as both participants and as loyal members and defenders of the society. This at times provides us with some valuable insights given what we can learn from our experience as participants, however, on the other hand we may lose sight of the fact that this insight may not be generalizable to the experience of most people or different groups of people within the system and that it is a product of the social forces that may distort or condition our understanding or interpretation of this experience. I point out to the students that we may also be often hindered in our ability to objectively understand our own society because we have been taught the dominant ideologies that support this system. This early political socialization or indoctrination will make it is difficult at times for students to dissect and objectively analyze their own society outside of this dominant ideological lens. Lastly, I tell the students that all sociological knowledge is political in that it has consequences as to the functioning of society. Thus, it is important to maintain what I refer to as intellectual virtues in the pursuit of sociological knowledge. I then go into a discussion of what I refer to as intellectual virtues that are important to acquire if one is to develop the necessary critical thinking skills to explore the sociological nature of their own society. I list and describe the following intellectual virtues as an introduction to describing the nature of critical thinking skills that will be required in this class: Intellectual humility Having a consciousness of the limits of ones knowledge including a sensitivity to circumstances in which ones native egocentricisms is likely to function deceptively; sensitivity to bias, prejudice, and limitations of ones viewpoint.

Intellectual courage: Having a consciousness of the need to face and fairly address ideas, beliefs, or viewpoints toward which we have strong negative emotions and to which we have not given a serious hearing. Intellectual empathy: Having a consciousness of the need to imaginatively put oneself in the place of others in order to genuinely understand them. Intellectual good faith (integrity): Recognition of the need to be true to ones own thinking: to hold ones self to the same rigorous standards of evidence and proof to which one holds ones antagonists. Intellectual perseverance: Willingness and consciousness of the need to pursue intellectual insight and truths in spite of difficulties, obstacles, and frustrations. Faith in reason: Recognition that we know through the application of systems of thought that follow the rules of reason (logic). Fair mindedness: Refers to the adherence to intellectual standards without reference to ones own advantage or the advantage of ones group. In terms of specific course requirements, the course is quite conventional. Students must complete four sectional exams over the following general topic areas: Introduction to the Sociological Perspective and Methods, Structure, Culture, and Deviance of Social Systems, Social Stratification Divisions within the Social Order, and Social Institutions and Social Change (see course outline in appendix). The examinations have two components: an in-class 50 questions examination and a take home essay. The examination is focused principally on assessing the students definition and understanding of the concepts presented and the essay focuses on the application of the concepts to understanding an aspect of their social world. Course Section I - Sociological Perspective, Methods, and Paradigms From the very beginning of the class I mention the American Empire. When introducing the course and discussing the course syllabus, I first mention that we are going to study the nature of the American Empire. It is mentioned again later on during the first day in the context of introducing the students to the sociological perspective. In the first lecture after a description of the three central elements of the sociological disciplinary perspective and the assumptions that underlie the discipline of sociology, I next describe the three problems with the discipline. In the course of that discussion I

describe how sociology debunks the myths that underlie the society, myths that serve to legitimate how it functions. This debunking of societal myths can be disconcerting to many students who have been taught these myths and these myths are important in their attachment to the society. For example, I may mention the myth of how we are "liberating the world." I mention that in all imperial societies imperialists often viewed or described as a way legitimating conquest that their mission is that of liberation or civilizing those who they conquered. I then give a "nutshell" history of the U.S. empire from founding until today, and highlight the liberation of indigenous populations from their homeland and rsources that make their lives possible. In general this a very brief description and the introduction of the term is used to illustrate the debunking quality of sociology. The American Empire is also mentioned occassionally at the beginning of classes in describing what is going in the world today sociologically. I usually try to make students aware of how to view current events with a more critical sociological perspective. A recent example used in class is the case of the Iraq elections and a discussion of how the United States will often fund political candidates and parties that are favorable to their economic interests. I will also mention, a strategy of U.S. control is to build democratic systems after regime changes that allows for U.S. access to the election process through the unrestrictive campaign contributions to candidates. I discuss how democractic processes of choosing leaders when there is no or little restrictions on the role of money in these elections provides a mechanism for outside, imperial, control. I also put into imperial context terms like "homeland" security, the use of the "National Guard" in regime change, and the dominance of U.S. military power. The remaining lectures within this first section of the class focuses on introducing the students to the methods of research and three of the theoretical paradigms within sociology (functionalist, conflict, and symbolic interactionist). A comparison of functionalist and conflict paradigms are carried through for most topics in the third and fourth sections of the course. The term empire may arise in discussions on these subjects. Course Section II - Groups, Culture, Socialization, and Deviance The next section of the class describes the nature of the society from what sociologists refer to as a more micro level of understanding. The focus of these lectures is the nature of social interaction, social relationships, groups, culture, socialization, and deviance. In this section of the class, the next time that Empire is discussed is in the context of a film presentation and lecture on the nature resocialization in "total institutions." The film, a drama entitled "Where the Spirit Lives," depicts the

re-socialization experience of indigenous populations in church run Indian Schools in Canada during the early 20th century. In the discussion about the film, I highlight the similar nature of Indiana Education within the United States and its important role in the conquest, settlement and control or pacification through assimilation of the dominated indigenous population. This is all described as a result of the extension of the American Empire throughout the continental United States. After viewing the video, students are required to complete an essay on the video that highlights concepts used in the lectures on culture (ethnocentrism), socialization and re-socialization within total institutions, and deviance. The empire discussion is used to provide a social context for why indigenous populations are forced to attend these residential schools. And how the concepts of ethnocentrism and deviance play a role in defining those who are conquered as deficient and in need to cultural change. Course Section III - Social Stratification The third section of the course focuses on the nature of systems of stratification in the United States. A continuation of the theme of conquests and the assimilation of minority populations is discussed in the lecture on ethnic stratification. After describing patterns of minority relations that were present in U.S. history that include genocide, expulsion, segregation, assimilation, limited cultural pluralism, and miscegenation, I discuss how the history and position of minority groups today is rooted in the legacy of imperialism. I describe how imperialism begins with the cultural conflict that is part of "discovery" and conquest of new worlds by European explorers and conquerors. I specifically describe the legacy of American discovery and conquest in terms of the patterns of ethnic relations described earlier. I then describe how the cultural institutions that dominate U.S. society are originally based on racist doctrines of the superiority of white European cultures. I remind them of the Where the Spirit Lives" video that we discussed in terms of forced assimilation by the dominant ethnic population of the dominated ethnic groups. I also discuss the role of religion and religious missionaries in the story of conquest and dominance of white cultural institutions. I note that as a product of conquest by Europeans, Christian religions (whichever the version of the conqueror) are defined as the only acceptable religion, all others are a considered a mark of inferiority. those that are militarily superior. The dominated groups are pressured (most times by the use of force) to surrender their religious beliefs to The religious systems that are imposed often provide the legitimization of subjugation and exploitation of peoples and resources. God is like the conqueror;

male and white, and more separated from nature, not a part of nature, and maker and controller of the forces of nature. I discuss how religious conversion is an important element of ideological control, a concept that was discussed earlier in the lecture on deviance and social control. In this same discussion of ethnic stratification, the economic conflict and domination is discussed as part of this imperial legacy. The imperial outcome is the stripping away of resources of conquered populations through the eventual forced expulsion and re-location, outlawing of communal ownership patterns (today it is eliminating state ownership), and finally the stripping away of any political (legal) rights of the conquered to the resources that they once controlled. I note that the economic nature of this conflict is especially important because it is a basis of the distribution of power in the society today. I describe how the racial and ethnic divisions are fundamentally a product of the competition over scarcities. I note that as social class defines the distribution of scarcity in the society based on access and control of production and resources, it also defines the fundamental nature of racial/ethnic conflict. In expanding on this point, I note that the central conflict between ethnic groups is fundamentally a conflict over resources. I note historically how the discovery of and the conquest of the native populations on this continent and on other continents all over the world occurs in the pursuit of valued resources whether that be minerals (gold), land and agricultural raw materials, cheap labor, or new markets for goods produced by dominant capitalists. I make the claim that ethnic conflict ultimately stems from private ownership and a particular historically specific relation of exploitation (class relations), in this light conquest is a result of the pursuit of increasing surplus by those who control property and are seeking to continue to expand their wealth through the acquisition of cheaper resources. In a summary statement concluding this section, I note that to understand the nature of race/ethnic relations today throughout the world you need to know the history of exploitation and how the class system within these societies intersects with racial or ethnic positions within the population. I note that throughout U.S. history, ethnic minorities were often enslaved or displaced and/or came as immigrants to get access to cheap land and were the basis of cheap labor for a dramatic U.S. industrial expansion, especially in the post civil period and the 20th century. I describe how immigration waves are a dividing element in a system of competition for scarce resources within the U.S.; white ethnic groups are positioned in terms of when they arrived as immigrants, ethnic minorities of color because of a history of apartheid within the U.S. were able to enter the mainstream only recently during the later half of the 20th century. I note as a result of these

waves and restricted integration, race and ethnicity divides the working class still today. I also note that often times throughout the 20th century during times of class struggle, capitalists pitted different ethnic groups against each other as a means to hold down wages or prevent unionization movements from arising. In a concluding statement I describe how levels of scarcity and the levels of competition over this scarcity are the basis for understanding levels of ethnic and class conflict in U.S society and world today. At the end of the third section of the class that focuses on systems of stratification in which all systems are described beginning with social class, the ethnic stratification, and finally gender there is a discussion of how these individual systems intersect in what Patricia Collins calls the "Matrix of Domination" (reference). The title of this lecture is the Matrix of Domination and the Legacy of Imperialism. The lecture begins by describing the concept of matrix of domination, the lecture then shifts to describing how systems of stratification are not only a feature of specific societies, but are part of the organization of societies in terms of a world system. There is first a description of the nature of wealth and income inequality within the world. Aside from a presentation of some recent figures on the distribution of wealth and income across quintiles of the world population, a series of facts are noted to dramatically highlight the nature of the inequality and the impact of the unequal distribution on life chances within the world's population. 1. Each day, 30,000 young children die from malnutrition and preventable infectious diseases (UN Development Program1993). 2. About 17 million people die every year from preventable infectious and parasitic diseases, such as diarrhea, malaria, and tuberculosis (UN Development Program 1993). 3. Nearly 800 million people face persistent, everyday hunger in the world today. (New Internationalist 1995) 4. In Britain the richest 10 people have as much wealth as 23 poor countries with over 174 million people. 5. In 1991 citizens of the United States spent $30 billion dollars on jewelry and watches. This sum is equivalent to the entire GNP of 20 low-income countries. 6. The wealthiest fifth of the worlds population controls 85% of global income while the poorest fifth lives off 1.4 percent of the income.

7. The wealthiest countries of the world control most of the worlds grain production, most of which they use to feed livestock. At the same time somewhere between 800 million to a billion people in the world do not have enough access to grain to fulfill minimum nutritional requirements for a healthy life. 8. Industrial countries contain 24 percent of the worlds population, but they manage to use 48 percent of the worlds grain and 61 percent of its meat. In fact they stuff quite a lot of this grain into what will become the meat that they consume or in the pets of their owners (Godrej 1995, 9). 9. While people in the poorest countries die from disease of malnutrition, people in the wealthiest countries die, although on the average much later, from diseases of overconsumption and gluttony (i.e., heart disease, and diabetes). At the same time most of the worlds population struggles to fulfill minimum caloric requirements. 10. Countries in the wealthiest countries experience problems of waste disposal that pollutes, air, water, and land because of the gluttony. And the environment of poor countries are increasingly polluted often by the waste of the developed world, and transformed to feed the appetites of the gluttonous populations of the richest countries. The next question addressed in the lecture is how this pattern of distribution, this hierarchy of people of different nations came about? Here again it is noted that this is the result of the legacy of imperialism and how this pattern is maintained because of the continued imperialist relations in the modern world. In this lecture a formal definition of imperialism is presented. Parenti's definition of "imperialism" is used because of its simplicity. It is defined as the process whereby the dominant politico-economic interests of one nation expropriate for their own enrichment the land, labor, raw materials, and markets of another people. I describe how imperialism precedes capitalism; but that it develops further into a worldwide system as a product of capitalist development. I note that in this context, capitalism not only describes the nature of production in a given society but it is fundamentally an organizational framework for the world. I then go on to describe how modern-day imperialism is rooted in the process whereby capitalists seek to preserve and increase their capital through the extension of markets and production to locations outside their home societies. The driving force behind this extension of capitalist relations is the competition between capitalists in the

marketplace. Competition between capitalists compels them to keep expanding capital in order to preserve it. I discuss how "You Grow or You Die" is the law of the market place. This lecture continues with a description of the stages of imperialism. It is noted that there are three broad stages of imperialism: plunder, trade, and finally direct investment. I note that in each stage, the societies that are dominated play a crucial role in the development of the dominating or imperialist societies. The plunder of the European explorers of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries serves as an important source of primitive accumulation of "surplus" or resources. I describe how societies in African, Asia, Central and South America were divided up by the dominant European powers and later the United States to be sources for cheap resources and labor for the extraction of raw materials for the rapid expansion of the industries in the dominant countries. I note that populations were slaughtered and enslaved in order to enhance the riches of those who were dominant in these countries of the center of the world system. I describe how agricultural systems and industries that existed and prospered in these dominated societies were destroyed in order to fit them into this new international system of exploitation. The economic and political systems of native peoples of India, South Africa, Mexico, North and South America (such as the Cherokee, Aztec, Mayan) were destroyed and reconstructed into a pattern of economic and political dependency on the colonizing power. I further note how racist belief systems were promoted to justify and extend the domination of people of color in these societies. Their history and their accomplishments were denied as they became defined as primitive, uncivilized, heathen, and savage. These beliefs of inherent inequality provided the justification for the violence and control of these populations I then describe how the second stage of imperialism followed the industrialization of the capitalist nations of Western Europe. I describe how when industrialization ensued, the European owning classes saw the lesser developed societies as not only a source of raw materials, disposing of surplus value (investment capital) and new markets to realize the surplus, but also a place to dispose of their surplus population (originally criminals, heretics and the poor became the first settlers of the colonies). I quote Cecil Rhodes, British financier and 19th century colonial statesman (Rhodesia, Zimbabwe today) to illustrate the point: "I was in the East End of London yesterday and attended a meeting of the unemployed. I listened to the wild speeches, which were just a cry for bread, bread, bread, and on my way home I pondered over the scene and I became more than ever convinced of importance of imperialism . . .My cherished idea is a solution, i.e., in order to save the 40,000,000 inhabitants of the United Kingdom from a bloody civil war, we colonial statesman must acquire new

lands to settle the surplus population, to provide new markets for the goods produced by them in the factories and mines. The empire, as I have always said, is a bread and butter question. If you want to avoid civil war, you must become imperialists." (Institute of Race Relations 1982, 21) I note that with the rapid growth of world trade, capitalists in the dominant societies increasingly exported capital to the dominated societies to develop both the extraction of raw materials and eventually the markets for the disposal of finished goods. . powers. I note that the last stage of imperialism has emerged in the second half of the twentieth century. I point out to the class that indigenous populations of the first stage of conquest and domination have either been destroyed or make up the most impoverished, dominated sectors of the population of the societies that they occupy. The settlers exported from the dominant countries during the second stage have long assumed dominant positions within these societies. However, control or political domination from the center is still maintained by the economic and political ties that have long been established and institutionalized. The colonial structures of the preceding period have been replaced by neocolonial structures and capitalist penetration by multinational corporations. I describe how overt, direct political domination by the imperialist powers is replaced by indirect often covert political domination. We allow for elections of leaders in those countries that we dominate but we try to determine the outcomes through financing of elections, economic sanctions, or through over or covert military control. I bring this discussion on the nature of imperialism back to the question that began the lecture. What does this have to do with systems of stratification? I make the point that people are first of all citizens within a nation state that is a position in terms of systems of stratification. The markets (workers and goods) are determined by position. The center of the empire is where the goods are plentiful and where there are more resources for workers. However workers are also more costly. On the other hand at furthest locations on the periphery of the empire is where you have the opposite. There are nations in between that are in the semi-peripheral area. However within the periphery and semi-periphery there may be more unrest because of the extremes of income and life chances created by systems of stratification. I discuss how workers in the center will often try to protect their jobs by restricting immigration and the exportation of jobs. While those on the periphery will struggle with the consequences of being economically displaced with the transformation of agricultural production I sometimes will bring a globe in from the period between the WWI and WWII which shows how the world was divided by the European imperial

to production for exportation and displacement from small plots of land and with the problems of high levels of unemployment and cheap wages because of the excess of labor as a result of the displacement from the rural areas. I note that peoples positions within systems of stratification within the nation state is linked to the position of their society in the world imperial system. Worker's positions in the center of the empire are connected to the cost of labor in other countries. The more capital (investments) can move across borders to access the cheapest resources (including labor), the lower the wages of workers whose labor is cheaper in these areas. Migration of workers from the periphery to the center is restricted. However, increasingly displaced peasants and workers and more privileged workers (doctors, scientists the brain drain) come legally and illegally and as a result expand the national labor markets in the center leading to this cheapening of labor. This is the basis of the ethnic economic conflict that often turns violent. I also note that gender position can also be impacted by the nature of imperialism. It is noted that one's gender position will be impacted by changes in class and ethnic systems within each society. Gender position may also change because of opening the marriage and providing additional sexual markets. Sex tours in the periphery and catalogues of women for marriage and companionship are mentioned as examples of how this can occur as a result of the nature of imperialism. It is further noted that as womens positions improves throughout the world so does the position of women in the center and vice versa. Women in the center could possible play an important role in assisting the womens movements in the periphery. However, I remind students that women are also influenced by their class and ethnic position interests. Course Section IV - Societal Institutions and Social Change The next section and last section of the class focuses on societal institutions and social change. The following institutions are highlighted: economy, state, and education. The course section finishes with a discussion of the forces of social change within societies and the world. In the lecture on economy, there is a comparison of order and conflict paradigm's treatment of the development of economies (developmental/modernization theory vs. historical materialism/contradictions and conflict theory). In describing the Marxist conflict paradigm's concept of contradiction, it is stated that in the world today capitalism defines the world system of relations between nations and peoples. I note that the forces of private ownership and the market are worldwide forces. We discuss what is a

transnational or multinational corporation and describe how the world's economies are increasingly dominated by the power of these organizations. I describe how multinational corporation along with international alliances between dominant (former and current imperialist) nation states promotes the dominance of the market and private ownership in their society and that this increasing leads to control of most profitable or valuable production, resources, and markets by multinational corporations from the countries that are dominant in the empire (U.S. and junior former imperial powers who are junior partners). I describe how the opening of markets for Multinational Corparate investment and control is a central feature of what is referred to as globalization. I note that for Conflict theorists any tendency toward conversion (a term introduced in a discussion of the similarities of economic systems as a product of "modernization") is a result of similarities in the contradictions of capitalism as a result of the domination of capitalist systems and conflict between the divisions occurring within nations and also these systems become increasingly similar as they become integrated economically, politically, and militarily into the empire. For the class following this discussion on the nature of the economy and multinational corporations, the students are shown a film that is the basis of the next take home examination for the course. The film is entitled Affluenza and it focuses on the drive for consumption in our society and other societies around the world and how this drive can have some deleterious consequences such as gluttony, alienation, debt, and environmental destruction. The discussion of Affluenza is connected to the nature of capitalism and the nature of empires. A map is brought into class that illustrate the flows of world's resources, generally from the most dominated sectors of the empire that are south of the equator to the countries of the north, especially the United States (the largest consumer market). It is noted that consumption is required for the realization of the surplus that is produced but controlled by owners of capital. I tell them this is the reason the stores are never closed and we are increasingly bombarded throughout the course of our days with the messages to consume. Every holiday is a cultural context for increased levels of consumption, every season is new context for consumption, every new product is defined as something everyone must own, etc. The next topic discussed is the institution of government or the state. Order and conflict theoretical paradigms are compared in terms of how power is distributed throughout the society and the central functions of the state in the context of American Capitalist society. In describing the function of the state from the conflict paradigm maintaining order and facilitated the accumulation in the homeland and throughout the empire is described. I discuss the "Policeman of the World Role" to

preserve the world capitalist system. I describe the network of military basis that are scattered across the globe, the military presence in approximately 60% of the nations. I also discuss with the class how the U.S. government will sponsor foreign media and will have funds going to foreign reporters and editors to promote U.S. corporate interest and teach the Neo-liberal dominant ideology of the empire. I describe the important role of foreign aid (military and economic) to maintain capitalist relations of production and subsidize U.S. multinational market penetration in countries throughout the empire. I discuss the role that the U.S. government plays in training and equipping foreign military and police forces to protect the property interest of multinational corporations. I conclude the discussion of this important role of the government with a statement that U.S. Foreign policy objectives are defined principally in the interests of the dominant class as it is realized in the further expansion and control of foreign markets and resources by U.S. based multinational corporations. The video Controlling Interest, a critical analysis of multinational corporations produced in 1976 that was very controversial for its time, is presented next. The students are given a detailed "guide" that discusses the linkages between the economic and political institutions and the central role of multinational corporations in the imperial mission. This handout entitled "Monopoly Capitalism and Capitalist World System" describes how todays capitalist world system is dominated by the control of large multinational corporations that often-times hold monopoly or shared monopoly power within their home country and increasingly attempting to dominate or monopolize other markets or the world market to continue to grow and prosper. The drive for the expansion of capital is discussed in light of what corporate executives state in the video Controlling Interest, "either you grow or you die." I repeat what was stated earlier in the economic lecture that for the modern day corporation, the rule holds that you grow or you die in the marketplace. I note how owners must seek ways of generating and realizing increasing levels of surplus and must find additional outlets for the productive use of this increasing surplus to keep extending the process. In the first case, owners search the globe for cheaper costs of materials and labor, and for making the process of production more efficient by reducing the amount of time required to reproduce the labor power of the workers. In the second case, they search the globe for new investment opportunities where their capital can produce more surplus. I then describe the nature of monopoly capitalism that includes concepts discussed in the film such as mega-mergers and interlocking directorates. It is noted that monopolies develop as a result of the increasing concentration of capital that is in part related to the forces of the market and the

development of the forces of production that makes it more and more difficult for new owners to develop. There is a discussion of the power of multinational corporations, their linkage to political power and the impact of their power on the position of the working class in the U.S. This is all highlighted in the film. The rest of the video guide describes how imperialist relations are the results of the concentration of capital and concentrations of political and military power. The multinational corporation (East Indian Company one of the first multinational corporation) is the vehicle for economic penetration. This penetration is negotiated by the government or political elites and protected by the military (both imperial and surrogate forces). I remind the class that modern day imperialism is rooted in the process whereby capitalists seek to preserve and increase their capital through the extension of markets and production to locations outside of their home societies. The driving force behind this extension of capitalist relations is the competition between capitalists in the marketplace. Competition between capitalist compels them to keep constantly extending their capital in order to preserve it, thus progressive accumulation of surplus is a necessity of survival for individual capitalist. This is the force of extended reproduction (you grow or you die mandate). I remind the class of the three stages of imperialism mentioned earlier: (1) plunder, (2) trade, and finally (3) direct investment. I then describe the nature of what is called "dependent capitalist development." It is described as an outcome of modern day imperialist relations. I note that dependent capitalist development refers to the nature of development of countries that are dominated and control by countries of the center of the world system. This is an outcome of imperialist relations. Three characteristics of dependent economic development are highlighted: The first characteristic of dependent economic development in the dominated countries is that of unequal trade. This usually takes the form of an exchange of raw materials by the dominated country for finished products produced in the dominant countries. It may take the form of the importation of light manufactured component products in exchange for the end product to be fully assembled in the dominant countries. And lets not forget tariffs here to protect domestic owners, open markets abroad to allow for expansion into new markets and access to cheaper resources. I note that the second characteristic of dependent development is that because the export trade in dominated countries are principally in agricultural products and minerals, this results in minimal industrial development in these countries. The economy in the dominated country is geared principally to the needs of the world market. This is especially the case on the periphery of the world

system. The third characteristic of dependent development is that capital flows are on balance out of the dominated country to the dominant countries. This net surplus outflow restricts the development to that which is subservient to the interests of capitalist in the dominant countries. The importance of military and financial control by the dominant countries in an imperialist system is then highlighted. It is again noted that military dominance is essential for imperialist economic expansion. The military provides the safeguards for investments and serves to open markets. I read the students a quote from General Smedley D. Butler who was in charge of many military interventions in Latin American countries during the early 20th century. "I spent thirty-three years and four months in active service as a member of our country's most agile military force - the Marine corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from a second lieutenant to major-general. And during that period I spent most of my time being a high-class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and, for the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer for capitalism. . . Thus I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank to collect revenues in . . I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1909-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras "right" for American fruit companies in 1903 (Pearce 1981)." I describe how U.S. controlled multinational trade agreements like NAFTA and GATT have served to further open up markets (ending protectionist strategies of the dominated country and their elites) for penetration by multinational corporations from the center countries, in particular U.S. multinational corporations. I note that today the World Bank and International Monetary Fund and other large U.S. based banking corporations like Citigroup, Chase Manhattan, etc. are important for the financing of the penetration of multinational corporations. I describe how developing countries will take on huge debt to pay for development projects (also corruption of local elites) that tie poorer countries to multinational corporations and opening their markets for outside control. Lastly I mention that a key element of the nature of imperialism is the political linkages between dominant and dominated countries that define the imperial relationship. Here I highlight the importance of military and the military alliances between countries NATO, OAS, to maintain open markets and access to resources. Foreign aid programs from the dominant capitalist countries to support multinational corporation penetration into the dominated countries economy (most U.S. foreign aid is tied to purchases of U.S. goods) and military aid programs to help politically stabilize

areas where there is widespread displacement of the poor and working class populations in the periphery or dominated countries. I also mention that media control and media messages - propaganda is crucial in order to promote an understanding of the world from vantage point of those countries and elites who are dominant in the empire. Students have already been exposed to the video "Outfoxed" to illustrate capitalist class control over media and what that can mean in terms of the promotion of our cultural understanding of the U.S. society and the world as defined in terms of "News." The key word in messages in the news that describe promoting expansion of the empire is that it is all about promoting freedom or defending Americas interests. The imperial translation of freedom is the sponsoring of government policies throughout the world that entail the promotion of free enterprise and protecting property interests of owners and the opening up of markets. Media also often presents foreign policy as part of a humanitarian mission; we are at war for the freedom and well being of others. The economic and strategic benefits are only described in terms of the presence of U.S. interests. I also discuss how state violence and patriotism are crucial in maintaining the system of imperialism. I note that ultimately it is violence that preserves imperialist relations between nations. Every empire eventually relies on the use of state violence to maintain its dominance. I discuss with the class that the linkage between political and economic power is crucial for the existence of imperialism. Imperialism is principally in the interest of the capitalist class that is seeking the new markets and cheaper resources, and that this class is dominant in realizing its interest in the functioning of the government, especially as it relates to foreign policy. I ask the students "What is the goal of U.S. foreign policy as it pertains to the interests of multinational corporations?" "What does the film Controlling Interest claim is the goal of U.S. foreign policy?" I also note that workers can also benefit by imperialism. I specifically note the flood of inexpensive goods produced by workers in the periphery of the empire. However, I follow up this comment with noting that because of the availability of the cheaper labor by workers who are in more oppressive conditions, their own jobs and wage levels are increasingly threatened. demands. In the last class in which we discuss the forces for social change, imperialism is mentioned as one of these forces. I point to several countries around the globe that have had recent "regime changes" sponsored by the United States: Iraq, Haiti, Serbia, Nicaragua, etc. I also note that the I again point to the case study of Deerfield, Massachusetts in the film who are threatened with a shutdown because of their wage

movement of populations from the periphery to the center countries is also a force for change within our own country. I note that like in the case of the Roman Empire when "all roads lead to Rome." During the time of the U.S. Empire, immigrants from the periphery increasingly attempt to come to the center where the goods and resources are flowing. Their movement into our society is a force for social change (cultural) in our own society. I also point to the forces of structural transformation of the economy and how it is in part a result of the nature of imperial relations. I particularly describe how the forces of globalization through trade agreements (NAFTA, GATT, and WTO) that serve to reduce barriers that countries (including our own) have used to protect and facilitate the growth of domestic industries, has resulted in freeing capital movement that allows for the large multinational corporations of the dominant imperial powers to more easily gain control over markets and resources in countries in the periphery. One outcome of this less restricted movement of capital, together with increasing restrictions on the movement of labor is that labor is at an increasing disadvantage around the world as one countries labor force is pitted against another in a race to the bottom in terms of wages, benefits, safety, and job security. I point to the recent and continuing transformation of the U.S. economy (de-industrialization or what is called outsourcing today) that has resulted in lowering of wages, benefits, and job security. I also note that another artifact of the expansion of the empire that is referred to as globalization is that there is increasing concentration of ownership and control of the world's resources and wealth which serves to make these organizational actors (multinational corporations) even more powerful in their dealings with increasing poorer nations around the world. I remind students of the information presented on the dramatic growth of inequality in the world today. The course and discussion on social change ends with a discussion of the power of human agency and social movements as a force of change and resistance to the changes that are occurring here in the center of the empire and in the periphery. The anti-war movement internationally against wars of imperial expansion and anti-globalization movements that promote the power of markets and the largest and most powerful actors within these markets, multinational corporations) are mentioned as examples of how people are collectively trying to resist the nature of empire.

Conclusion It is increasingly critical that today's college students understand the nature of empire. It is ironic and a telling example of the power of media propaganda and the ideological education that student receive throughout most of their education that while they reside in the center of an empire in which they are increasingly called upon to defend and promote its expansion in the current wars of "liberation" that they do not know that the empire exists. Yet, it has always existed from the founding of the republic and its conquest of the continent to the modern day expansion at a time in which there are no imperial rivals. For sociology classes that are educating students to understand the nature of their own society, it is a very serious omission to not describe the nature of the empire. An omission that tells us more about the ideological blinders within the discipline of sociology. The empire is a key organizing principle of American society, to ignore it misrepresents the society to its citizens. Focusing only on the nature of the homeland misses the larger nature of the system that they students are members and it serves to distort their understanding, which can have increasingly serious consequences as they go about their lives as citizens of the empire. The vast majority of sociology classes and the vast majority of textbooks have no mention of empire in general and absolutely no mention of the empire of the United States of America. Even those textbooks that are from what is referred to as a "critical" perspective omit discussion. There is a serious need for textbooks to provide information about the organizing principles of imperial systems and about the nature of the Empire of the United States of America. In my most recent introductory course, I am now using Parenti's book, Against Empire that contains a chapter entitled "Imperialism 101" which gives students additional reading material to help them remediate their understanding. This book along with the films and discussion in the class will hopefully increase students understanding of the nature of American empire. I am also teaching a course on Empire this coming fall, which will build on student's understandings of empire that I have taught in this introductory course as well as my courses in criminology and violence. Hopefully, students will understand that when our nation's leaders who are imperialist mention our national interest, they will understand it in terms of the imperial interests of those within the capitalist class who dominate our government and use its military

and state mechanism to extend their interest in the world today.

They will be educated to

critically understand the nature of empire and how it impacts all aspects of their lives. References Affluenza. 1997. Produced by John de Graaf and Vivia Boe, Produced by KCTS-Seattle & Oregon Public Broadcasting/ Hosted by Scott Simon. Oley, Pa: Bullfrog Films. Controlling Interest. 1978. Producer/Director: Larry Adelman, Co-Producer/Editor: Bruce Schmeichen. San Francisco: California Newsreel. Eitzen, Stanley D. And Maxine Baca Zinn. 2004. In Conflict and Order: Understanding Society. Boston: Pearson. Godrej, Dinyar. 1995. Hunger in a World of Plenty. New Internationalist. 267 (May):7-10. New Internationalist. 1995. Hunger - The Facts. The New Internationalist. 267 (May):18-9. Palast, Greg. 2003. The Best Democracy Money Can Buy. London: Penquin. Parenti, Michael. 1995. Against Empire. San Francisco: City Lights Books. United Nations Development Programme. Oxford University Press. 1993. Human Development Report. New York:

Where the Spirit Lives. 1989. Director: Bruce Pittman. Canada.