confidence since he cannot be suspected of leanings to "orthodox Marxism"; and since, being English, this author is well acquainted with the situation which exists in the country which is richest in colonies, in finance-capital, and in imperialist experience.
Describing the connection between imperialism and the financiers, the growing profits from armaments, etc., Hobson, with the Boer War fresh in his mind, wrote as follows:
"The people directing this definitely parasitical policy are the capitalists; but the same causes influence various sections of workers. In numerous towns the most important industries depend upon orders from the government. The imperialism of the metallurgical and shipbuilding centres is largely due to this fact."
The author quoted considers that there are two causes which weakened former empires, viz., "economic parasitism" and the formation of armies composed of subject races. The first is the custom of economic parasitism, in virtue of which the ruling State makes use of its provinces, its colonies, and its dependencies, to enrich its ruling class and to corrupt its lower classes in order to keep them quiet." Let us add for our part that the economic possibility of such corruption, whatever may be its form, requires the inflated profits produced by monopoly.
As for the second cause, Hobson writes: "One of the strangest symptoms of the blindness of Imperialism is the reckless indifference with which Great Britain, France and other imperial nations are embarking on this perilous dependence. Great Britain has gone farthest. Most of the fighting by
