I have complained about it before but I heard on of the guests from guerrilla history on the deprogram make this argument and it made me want to gouge my eyes out. This kind of trans historical argumentation is both stupid and unmarxist, just stop! Sorry I felt the need to vent.

These states were not imperialist and they weren't settler colonies. This framing doesn't make any fucking sense when transfered to a medieval context. Like the best you could say is that the Italian city states represented an early firm of merchant capital, but even then that is an incredibly complex phenomenon that has only a tenuous connection to modern capitalism. Calling these city states early capitalism is just a fancy way of saying "lol u hate capitalism yet you exchange good or service! Curious!"

Seriously just stop. I don't know why this set me off but it was like a week ago and I am still mad about it.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] GrouchyGrouse@hexbear.net 14 points 1 year ago

It is a bad take and it is infuriating to behold because if we actually want to have earnest conversations about either subject we shouldn't be conflating them. Pointing out similarities is one thing. Implying sameness is another.