Imperialism

Mariátegui read Lenin as well as Marx and published parts of Lenin‘s *Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism* in his journal *Amauta*. He was well aware of the imperial presence in Peru and Latin America and notes in his piece on anti-imperialism (IV.2): "As long as imperialist policies are able to manage the sentiments and formalities of the national sovereignty of these states, and are not forced to resort to armed intervention and military occupation, they can absolutely count on the collaboration of the bourgeoisie. Although they are dominated by the imperialist economy, these countries, or rather their bourgeoisies, will consider themselves as masters of their own destinies as do Romania, Bulgaria, Poland and other 'dependent‘ countries in Europe." He further noted in "Nationalism and Internationalism" (IV.1): "The boundaries between nationalism and internationalism are not yet well clarified, despite the fact that both ideas have existed for a long time." In his essay on "Yankee Intervention in Nicaragua" (IV.3), he carefully notes not only the United States imperial designs on Nicaragua, but the collaboration of the national bourgeoisie with the imperialist occupying forces. Nor does he fail to see the imperial nature of Pan-Americanism (IV.5) and how it militates against progressive forces in Latin America. The short piece on "Martial Law in Haiti" (IV.4) foretells many similar U.S. imperial actions in the Caribbean and Central America: "The methods of the United States in colonial America have not changed. They cannot change. Violence is not used in countries under Yankee administration just by accident. Three events during the past five years underscore the increasing martial tendency of U.S. policy in these countries: the intervention in Panama against a strike, the occupation of Nicaragua, and the recent declaration of martial law in Haiti. The rhetoric of goodwill is meaningless in the face of these events." Even though intellectuals such as Mariátegui condemned imperialism, the United States continued to have a heavy presence in the continent. The seeds for an increasingly strong Latin American reaction were, however, sown.