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There is a continuing debate, parallel to the debate between Lenin and his
critics, as to whether we are witnessing a new era of "globalization" with one
increasingly internationalized capitalist class (dominated by U.S.
corporations) or whether the traditional Marxist-Leninist paradigm of splits in
the capitalist class leading to splits along (admittedly ever changing)
nationalist lines is a more relevant way to see international
political-economic developments. Obviously the Leninist paradigm does have
to take into account the rise of new alignments/alliances, but it differs from
the "globalization" paradigm that underplays political-economic-MILITARY
rivalries and emphasizes a more unified international capitalist class. The
following excerpts from an article in the capitalist press is one piece of
data indicating the continuing relevance of the inter-imperialist rivalry.
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November 15, 1999 Shell to Invest in Iranian Oil, Risking U.S. Penalty By BLOOMBERG NEWS EHERAN, Iran -- The Royal Dutch/Shell Group agreed Sunday to spend $800 million to develop two Iranian offshore oil fields. The agreement between the company's Shell Exploration unit and the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company calls for Shell to act as contractor on the Sorush and Nowruz oil fields, which were closed during the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-88. An American law prohibits investments of more than $40 million a year in Iran, and Shell, with headquarters in Amsterdam and London, has large operating units in the United States. Washington has accused Iran of sponsoring terrorism, seeking nuclear weapons and undermining the Arab-Israeli peace process. Under the Iran-Libya sanctions law of 1996, which seeks to penalize foreign companies that invest more than $40 million in oil and gas projects in Iran, foreign companies face sanctions that include additional tariffs or prohibitions on exporting their goods to the United States. Iran offered Shell a contract in which the company would be paid for its work in oil and gas over a limited time. The terms of the contract are meant to comply with Iran's Constitution, which forbids foreign ownership of energy reserves. The two fields, which were discovered in the early 1960's, are situated in shallow water west of Kharg island. They are thought to have more than a billion barrels of heavy crude oil. Shell said that when full production is achieved in 2003, the fields will produce about 190,000 barrels a day. Early production from Sorush is expected to start in late 2001. Royal Dutch/Shell's country chairman in Iran, Edi Cartier, said that the company was "prepared to proceed" under the threat of sanctions. He added that Shell expected the United States to waive sanctions, as he said it had against other international oil companies that had signed contracts with Iran. |