An Analysis of Contemporary Imperialism Based on a Marxist-Leninist Perspective and Method

This article pushes for the use of a Marxist-Leninist perspective and method to analyzes contemporary imperialism in order to understand its nature and new manifestations. Firstly, the article examines Cheng Enfu’s analysis of contemporary imperialism. His analysis is, on the one hand, the continuity of Lenin’s theory of imperialism, and on the other hand, a modernization of Lenin’s theory according to today’s world specificities. Secondly, the article looks into the debate between Marxist authors on questions related to contemporary imperialism, notably on methodological issues, refuting the erroneous analysis of “the drain of wealth from the West to the East” and the misleading pseudo-concept of “sub-imperialism”, and proving the importance of adopting a Marxist- Leninist perspective and using the Marxist-Leninist method to analyze contemporary imperialism. Finally, the article takes the CFA franc as a concrete example of French imperialism in Africa, thus illustrating the commonality of the countries of the imperialist camp. It shows how imperialism manifests itself in Africa, in particular within France’s sphere of influence, further demonstrating how Marxism-Leninism is necessary for a deeper analysis and understanding of today’s world.