“If it were necessary to give the briefest possible definition of imperialism, we should have to say that imperialism is the monopoly stage of capitalism.”
- April 22, 1870 – January 21, 1924
- Born in the Russian Empire
- Revolutionary, political theorist, lawyer, state leader
- He led the Russian Revolution and is known as the founder of the Soviet Union. He put Marxist theory into practice and became a symbolic figure in the communist movement of the 20th century.
Quote
“If it were necessary to give the briefest possible definition of imperialism, we should have to say that imperialism is the monopoly stage of capitalism.”
Explanation
This quote succinctly defines Lenin’s theory that imperialism is not a departure from capitalism but its advanced stage, characterized by the dominance of monopolies and financial capital. In Lenin’s analysis, capitalism evolves through competition into monopoly, where a handful of powerful corporations and banks control entire industries. At this stage, capital can no longer find sufficient profits at home and must expand outward — conquering markets, resources, and labor in foreign lands, hence giving rise to imperialism.
Lenin developed this theory during World War I, a period when major powers were engaged in global conflict over colonies and spheres of influence. His book, Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism (1916), argued that wars between imperialist powers were not anomalies but the natural outcome of capitalist competition in its monopoly phase. This framework positioned imperialism as an economic necessity, not merely a political choice, thereby justifying anti-colonial and anti-capitalist struggles as two sides of the same historical process.
In contemporary terms, this quote remains relevant in critiques of global corporate dominance and neocolonialism. Today, massive transnational corporations influence everything from resource extraction in the Global South to trade policies and labor practices worldwide. The economic disparity between developed and developing nations, along with military interventions justified by economic interests, often echoes Lenin’s thesis. His insight invites reflection on whether modern capitalism has outgrown imperialism or merely repackaged it under globalization.
