1968 Quote by Hannah Arendt
““What imperialists actually wanted was expansion of political power without the foundation of the body politic. Imperialist expansion had been touched off by a curious kind of economic crisis, the overproduction of capital and the emergence of "superfluous" money, the result of oversaving, which could no longer find productive investment within national borders. For the first time, investment of power did not pave the way for investment of money, since uncontrollable investments in distant countries threatened to transform large strata of society into gamblers, to change the whole capitalist economy from a system of production to a system of financial speculation, and to replace the profits of production with profits in commissions. The decade immediately before the imperialist era, the seventies of the last century, witnessed an unparalleled increase in swindles, financial scandals, and gambling in the stock market.””
About This Quote
Imperialism was driven by excess capital that could not be productively invested domestically, leading to political expansion aimed at securing financial speculation rather than productive growth.
In simple terms: Capital surplus fuels political expansion for speculative gain.
Key Takeaway
Imperialism as a financial outlet for surplus capital.
Themes
imperialism
economic crisis
financial speculation
political power
capital overproduction
Mood
critical
analytical
historical
Type
analytical
historical
political
When to use this quote
- national economic stagnation
- excess savings seeking outlets
- political elites seeking new markets
- financial markets experiencing bubbles
Key Concepts
surplus capital
investment abroad
speculative finance
political expansion
Practical Applications
- analyze historical causes of imperialism
- guide policy on capital flows
Questions to Reflect On
- How does surplus capital influence foreign policy?
- What are modern parallels to imperialist financial speculation?
![“The absolute monarch was supposed to serve the interests of the nation as a whole, to be the visible exponent and proof of the existence of such a common interest. The enlightened despotism was based on [Duc de] Rohan's "kings command the peoples and interest commands the king"; with the abolition…” quote by Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/230/hannah-arendt-610_1968_the-absolute-monarch-was-supposed-to-ser_1887875.jpg)
