The history of capitalism from the very beginning up to and beyond the emergence of imperialism at the turn of the 20th Century was also a history of revolt. The colonial peoples never "accepted" their masters. The centuries reveal a magnificent record of struggle. Only the superior arms and equipment of the conquerors sustained them in power. Today, however, even this superiority is crumbling under the tremendous impact of continent-wide upheavals of peoples whose single cry is liberty. From the Philippines to Indonesia the watchword is colonial emancipation. And the imperialist slave-holders are fighting back.

To perpetuate its rule imperialism has been forced to revise its strategy. The poison of slavery is being poured into new bottles and labeled "Independence" and "Democracy." Imperialist policies are being streamlined to cope with tougher problems. As direct control becomes increasingly untenable under pressure of popular revolt, more subtle and indirect methods of domination are being adopted. The roots of these policies reach deeply into the very heart of modern society.

Imperialism is not merely a policy pursued by a given state; it is a system. By its very nature imperialism fosters plunder and violence. Imperialism is the ultimate phase in the development of the so-called "free enterprise system."

Under "free enterprise," profit serves as the sole motive of production. In order to increase their profits, the capitalists pay their workers the lowest possible wage consistent with the standards of a given country. Their greed for profit restricts the internal market which results in under-consumption or, conversely, in over-production. To dispose of their surplus goods, and to exploit new sources of raw materials and cheap labor, capitalists must acquire colonial empires in the industrially undeveloped ‘areas of the world. It was this driving force which led, during the course of the 19th Century, to the division of the globe among the chief imperialist powers. When there were no new outlets for expansion, the rival groups of imperialists entered into conflict over one another’s possessions. This driving force lay at the bottom of the two world wars through which mankind has passed during the past forty years.