Neoliberal Imperialism and Pan-African Resistance

Hahn, Niels

Abstract

Neoliberalism has in the past three decades had a tremendous impact on both thought and practice throughout most of the world, and has dominated international development since the early 1980s. Although neoliberalism
presents itself as modern and progressive, it is argued that the underlying ideologies and power agendas have their origins in the political debates of the eighteenth century and earlier. Through an analysis of neoliberalism from a world-historical and global perspective, indications are seen that the international development agenda has more to do with political and economic interests than with benevolent pro-poor development. This leads to the debate about redistribution of resources and State-led Development
versus Free-market Development, which is inextricable from the discussion of Liberal Democratic Peace Theory versus Realism. From this perspective it is argued that the notion of democratic peace is used as a popular seductive rhetoric, to legitimize western military interventions and the imposition of economic policies in the name of democracy, human rights and free market economy. In this context, it is argued that neoliberalism cannot be analysed
without also considering inherent links to imperialism and neo-colonialism, which is being resisted by pan-African movements.

Citation

Hahn, N. (2007). Neoliberal Imperialism and Pan-African Resistance. Journal of World-Systems Research, XIII(2), 142-178. https://doi.org/10.5195/jwsr.2007.354

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2007
• Deposit Date: Feb 2, 2011
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 11, 2025
• Journal: Journal of World-Systems Research
• Electronic ISSN: 1076-156X
• Publisher: University Library System, University of Pittsburgh
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: XIII
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 142-178
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.5195/jwsr.2007.354
• Keywords: Neoliberalism, Imperialism, neocolonialism, armed conflicts, Liberia
• Publisher URL: https://jwsr.pitt.edu/ojs/jwsr/article/view/354