Marxist
and
Neo-Marxist
international
relations theories
are paradigms which
reject the
realist/liberal view
of
state conflict or
cooperation, instead
focusing on the
economic and
material aspects. It
reveals how the
economic trumps
other concerns,
which allows for the
elevation of
class as the
focus of the study.
Marxists view the
international system
as an integrated
capitalist system in
pursuit of capital
accumulation. Thus,
the period of
colonialism brought
in sources for raw
materials and
captive markets for
exports, while
decolonialization
brought new
opportunities in the
form of dependence.
Marxist theories receive scant attention in the United States where even moderate socialist and social democratic parties lack mainstream political influence. Throughout Africa, Latin America, South & East Asia, and some parts of Europe, Marxist and other progressive theories are more incorporated into political and social discourse.
Realists and liberals criticize Marxist theories for being outdated particularly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union at the end of the Cold War. Postpositivists disagree with Marxists' elevation of class as the most important aspect.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Marxist international relations theory".