Separatism and Class Politics in Latin America


by Prof. James Petras
Global Research, September 22, 2009


Throughout the world there is an upsurge of regional, ‘sub- national’ movements whose demands range from greater ‘autonomy’ to complete independence. Many analysts have commented on the apparent paradox of increasing global integration of economies and the increasing fragmentation of nation-states. A deeper look at the internal dynamics of regional conflicts and external imperial strategies unravels the ‘paradox’ – by revealing the inter-relationships between competing empire building strategies and national fragmentation and regional conflicts.

Several points of reference highlight the underlying dynamic of regional and global politics.

a. Some regions within existing nation-states ‘integrate’ more with ‘global markets’, especially with older and newly emerging imperial centers than with their own ‘hinterland’, marginalizing domestic regions, while serving as transmission belts for transferring resources, profits and income to imperial ‘partners’.

b. Regions serving as imperial entrepots induce “globalistâ€