The word imperialism I believe has its origin in the Roman Empire. We should take into consideration that Rome became an empire partly because of its domination of tribal peoples. Some of these tribes were the Anglos, the Saxons, the Britons.. If the Roman Empire was an imperialist power, it seems that the wars against Native Americans were a classic example of imperialism.
If the wars against Native Americans were imperialist, they were not the only examples of U.S. intervention before 1898. In William Blum's book Killing Hope he gives a list of all the military interventions in the history of the United States. The use of the military prior to 1898 is included in a list covering five pages. This list doesn't include most of the wars against Native Americans. One example was the conquest of Hawaii in 1893.
These are the reasons why I question the statement that this country became an imperialist power 100 years ago. However, I commend the Militant for giving attention to Cuba's revolutionary war of independence during the latter years of the 19th century.
Steve Halpern
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
A crucial source of information
The Militant is a crucial source of information for
workers - the majority at this moment in history. Thank you for
your work and solidarity with Cuba.
P.K.
Inver Grove, Minnesota
N.Y. unemployment
On page 34 of the December 29, 1997/January 5, 1998 issue
of Business Week there is an article entitled "Down and Out in
the Big Apple?," which cites some figures on unemployment in
New York City. According to the article, unemployment in New
York City has just recently fallen below 10 percent.
Ten or nine percent unemployment may be something that everyone in New York has come to assume. But it stands in stark contrast to what is going on in some other parts of the country where today there is a relative labor shortage - Minnesota and Alabama, where unemployment is well below four percent, are two examples with which I am personally familiar.
The disparity points up the unevenness of the rulers' recovery and one real consequence of the unprecedented bull market right in the capital of U.S. capital. It also underscores the relevance of the demands raised in An Action Program to Confront the Coming Economic Crisis.
John Hawkins
St. Paul, Minnesota
I appreciate the `Militant'
I'm just writing to let you know that I'm getting your
publication and that I appreciate it very much. I didn't
realize how much was not being said in newspapers until I
started receiving the Militant.
A prisoner
Cameron, Missouri
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