[G. Adams]

The existence of feudal states within a global market is one of the things I see as a big stopper on progress to a revolution. The feudalism allows the suppression of the populace effectively, as well as the populace never experiencing capitalist freedoms which means they don't see quite how bad off they are, while being in a global market means that the vast capital of advanced capitalist societies can most effectively extract that wealth from the feudal societies. As long as a significant number of resource wealthy states remain feudal, then western capitalists can keep themselves in position without having to worry about effectibe labour unions and unrest.

Marxism accepts that there is a petty bourgois that aspires to be bourgois, some succeed and some fail. As we live in a global economy, I think it is much more realistic to look at classes as on a global scale. At this level, that middle class isn't too great in numbers.

Linked to that is my belief that Marx vastly misjudged the time. World wide communism was technologically possible, but the shifts over time have changed other circumstances. The middle class was miniscule in 1850 compared to today in Europe and America, but (i have no stats for this world wide) the merchants, shopkeepers, writers, artists, scientists etc world wide probably did constitute a comparable number to today. However, as wealth has concentrated itself into the West instead of being diffused among many, the middle class followed it. If the most advanced capitalist nations, also the ones most experienced in freedoms, are strongholds of the middle class, who generally benefit from capitalism, then the revolution which was meant to begin in such places will obviously be delayed.

What is needed is for all nations to become capitalist. Free trade should by applied as fully as possible, as it allows capitalism to take its most proper course. It will allow the rich to get richer and poor poorer much quicker, thus speeding up the revolution.