Page - 95 - in Otto Bauer (1881–1938) - Thinker and Politician

a contribution to the theory of imperialism 95 Inadditiontothesenegativesideeffectsofcapitalconcentrationandcent- ralisation, Bauer identified twomutually linked features of imperialism that deepentheproblem.Thus far,wehave insufficiently toucheduponthese fea- tures: imperialism’s international nature and its expansionism. Admittedly, Bauerdidnotmentionthemseparately inhiswork,butheclearly recognised thattheywereconnectedtootherquestions.Firstly,helinkedtheinternational characterof imperialismtothechangingrolesofthebourgeoisstateandgreat economicspheres,andsecondly,helinkeditsexpansionismtocolonialismand militarism. Bauer aptly observed that the development of theworld economy,which transcendsthebordersof‘nationaleconomies’, leadstoamoreintensestruggle betweencartelsandsyndicates for theeconomicandpolitical sphereof influ- ence. Indeed, thebattle ofmonopolies is a battle of states. For under imper- ialism, a unification of the interests of finance capital and the state appar- atustakesplace,whichcomprisesthefollowingrealms:theprotectionofone’s own rawmaterial, commodity and labourmarkets; the export of commodit- ies abroad (inorder topostpone the ripening contradictions of the accumu- lation process at home); and finally, the scramble for internationalmarkets andcolonies.Bauer sharedHilferding’sopinionthat theeconomic roleof the statebecomesstrongerunderimperialism,claimingthatthestateprovidedthe foundationsofanationaleconomy.26Atthesametime,hecameout infavour ofmaintainingorcreatingbig stateorganisms.Heargued thatonlyabig (i.e. independentandstrong)statecanactasaregulatorofsocio-economiclife,and thatonlysuchastatecanassertitself inthestruggleforeconomicandpolitical hegemonyon the international stage.27 Indefenceof thevalidityofhis view- point,BauerappealedtotheworkofthebourgeoiseconomistsAlbertSchäffle, GustavvonSchmollerandAdolfWegner,whoregardedcountrieswithvastgeo- graphic areas and largepopulations as autarkic andconsideredbig enclosed stateterritoriestobeindependenteconomicunits.28 Bauer emphasised another consequence of the unification process in the global economy that results from the struggle ofmonopolies and states for 26 See Bauer 1975b, p. 695; compare p. 703. In Zwischen zwei Weltkriegen (Between Two WorldWars),Baueralternativelyusestheterms‘dirigisteconomy’and‘plannedeconomy’ to describe the dependence between the economy and the state – see Bauer 1976q, p. 107. 27 RosaLuxemburg shared this view–seeLuxemburg 1976,p. 129. InAustromarxism,Karl Renner developed the theory of establishing large economic sectors. See Renner 1916, pp. 112–17. 28 Ledereralsowroteonthissubject.SeeLederer1956,p.406.