The Continuation of Class Struggle by Other Means: Part one — What Causes War?
Alan Freeman
Abstract
This article offers a historical-materialist explanation of war as an extension of capitalist class struggle, challenging the dominant “Pax Americana” narrative that portrays post-1945 capitalism as uniquely peaceful. Drawing on economic data, wartime production records, and debates within the Marxist tradition, Freeman argues that war is not an aberration but the highest form of capitalist competition, in which national capitals fight for access to the labor and resources of other nations. He contends that imperialist profits — derived from the systematic appropriation of foreign labor — structure the behavior of the “Columbian” powers, a small group of historically expansionist capitalist states. The article revisits the evolution of imperialism from colonial plunder to contemporary economic domination, emphasizing how unequal exchange, technological monopolies, and military power sustain global hierarchies. It also highlights workers’ unique stake in opposing war, noting that wartime sacrifices have historically generated revolutionary pressures strong enough to constrain capitalist states. By integrating economic analysis with a theory of class “genetic dispositions,” Freeman frames war as both a mechanism of capitalist accumulation and a crucible for working-class consciousness. This first part of a two-part study lays the groundwork for analyzing when and why workers participate in wars, and argues that overcoming imperialist ideology is essential for building an effective anti-war movement in the Global North.
Keywords
War, imperialism, capitalism, class struggle, pax americana, unequal exchange, labor exploitation, colonialism, militarism, economic competition, global hierarchy, working class, anti-war movement, marxism, capitalist accumulation, Alan Freeman
