A quote from Karl Marx in 1848:
The country, however, which transforms whole nations into proletarians; which with its gigantic arms encompasses the whole globe; which has already once defrayed the cost of the European counter-revolution; and in which class antagonism has reached a high degree of development – England appears to be the rock on which the revolutionary waves split and disperse and which starves the coming society even in the womb. England dominates the world markets. A revolution of the economic conditions of any country of the European Continent or even of the whole Continent, is but a storm in a glass of water, unless England actively participates in it. The condition of trade and commerce of any nation depends upon its intercourse with other nations, depends upon its relations with the world markets. England controls the world markets, and the bourgeoisie controls England.
The [political] emancipation of Europe, either in the form of raising the oppressed nationalities to independence or of the final overthrow of feudal absolutism, is conditioned upon the victorious rising of the French working class. But any social revolutionary upheaval in Europe must necessarily miscarry, unless the English bourgeoisie or the industrial and commercial supremacy of Great Britain is shaken. Any aspiration for a lasting, though partial social transformation in France or any other part of the European Continent must remain an empty, pious wish. And old England will only be overthrown in a world war, which alone would give the Chartist Party, the organised English Labour Party, the possibility of a successful rising against its stupendous oppressor. The Chartists at the head of the English Government – only from this moment would the social revolution emerge from the realm of Utopia and enter the sphere of reality
This quote, from 1848, talks of a bygone empire and world power, but not a bygone global soft power. 'The country, however, which transforms whole nations into proletarians' is very much speaking on today neo-colonial structures and England's place amongst those frameworks is poignant. It is not one of France in Africa with it's imposition of the CFA Franc for example, or of AID agreements disguising the draining of African resources for example, but instead one of an ex-colonial overlord who exists in the Commonwealth soft power vacuum of ill begotten leftover prestige, industry and woe-inducing sacrifices to obtain some semblance of leftover pride and inclusion in diversity and freedoms still unknown for many today.
'which has already once defrayed the cost of the European counter-revolution' being the idea that the industrial revolution had replaced the European luddites as it were, bringing an end to European cottage industries and guild workshops.
'England appears to be the rock on which the revolutionary waves split and disperse and which starves the coming society even in the womb.' The revolution of the European proletariat perhaps here, had indeed dullened the capacity for old industries to operate as they once did. The coming society indeed being the proletariat it seems in this phrasing, as the Bourgeoisie are considered separate, and may talk of the global proletariat and Bourgeoisie.
There are multiple contenders at this time for the title of superpower, but it seems most reminiscent of 1500's Europe, when most of those contenders won their gains from proletariat labour.
'A revolution of the economic conditions of any country of the European Continent or even of the whole Continent, is but a storm in a glass of water, unless England actively participates in it.' This sentence has a whiff of truth to it yet. When Brexit occurred, every German newspaper and critic seemed to have something to say, yet after 2020, the same stagnation inherent in the destruction tendencies those in charge held were what had sent the British economy into its downwards and upwards spirals. Yet the chnage this time was that there was no industrial revolution. Germany contributed well to the global export market, yet not in other expectable areas of comparison, and indeed the British economy can be said to have found other avenues due it's almost hegemonic soft power status and sacrifices. The key theme here being that unless England 'actively participates', new F-35's are only built for the competing superpower, not superpowers, and the incumbent defense spending goes on British-Japanese-Italian endeavours. This is the case given that 'England controls the world markets, and the bourgeoisie controls England' is nowadays the USA, or China. Yet the UK still holds sway over many unexpected outcomes, whilst instead now being a mostly impoverished proletariat nation.
Indeed, 'the final overthrow of feudal absolutism' came with the advent of the middle management roles the industrial revolution created by the 1950s, and went away with the outsourcing of today's superpowers if anything, who only saw fit to create the sweatshop creations of our modern bargain bins. As for the 'the victorious rising of the French working class' see the CFA Franc.
And with the 'English bourgeoisie or the industrial and commercial supremacy of Great Britain' thoroughly shaken, this seems a ripe occurrence, given France's protest have left us with but a river of excrement in the wake of the Olympics.
Another one 'old England will only be overthrown in a world war', was dubitably what saw this shaking take place, as the colonial structures had arguably begun to fray by the 1890s anyway with the beginning of Asian, African and other indigenous calls for Independence anyway. Ironically begun in the very education systems of 'old England' and even proletariat England, as a salty rock Tyke that is, which it is must be said is an important place Mr.Marx forsake when he renamed centuries old proletariat sentiments in favour of his own personality cult if we are to be closer to the reality.
Poignant though when I think about Japan's involvement in both of the world wars, as a spectator from the backend of social liberalist theory and Chartist Liberal realpolitick postindustrial and WWII lived experience as to the role 'England' still plays on the world stage as a soft power, a role it also took up in similar fashion under Elizabeth I as a supposedly weak and yet somehow mighty? country worthy of a moniker such as Perfidious Albion by the very same storm in a glass of water which birthed Marx's own world, yet ignored the world outside the glass of water to lead to the state of affairs the post 1900's Britain which had left splendid isolation found itself in.
