Generating capitalism for independence in Mongolia

Abstract

Following Laura Bear et al.'s discussion of 'generating capitalism', this article presents an account of two historical periods in which certain Mongolian rulers made the deliberate decision to embrace Euro-American capitalism. They explain that this was done to help Mongolia entice 'third neighbours' whose interests secure Mongolia's independence by preventing Mongolia from being occupied by China or Russia. This paper then recounts how, during each of these historical periods, the nation-state's rulers prioritized the declaration and consolidation of de facto constitutive political independence. Building on this prioritization of the political, this paper argues that the generation of capitalism in Mongolia is not for the sake of the economy itself, as Bear et al. suggest, but for the sake of independence. Reflecting on this, this article shows how global capitalism can be seen not as a threat to the nation-state but as a help to balance dependences.

The State, Popular Mobilisation and Gold Mining in Mongolia

“…Alicia Campi and Ragchaa Baasan write that Prime Minister Bodoo Dogsom (1921-22) 'wanted the United States, in conjunction with Soviet Russia, to act as Mongolia's protector, especially in regards to negotiations with China' (2009, 105; see also Bulag 1998, 13). 8 Not only in 1990 but also in 1911 -when the theocratic government of Mongolia proclaimed political independence -mining and particularly gold mining was immediately adopted to fund the emerging nation-state and to promote its national economy (Tuya and Battomor 2012;Bonilla 2016;Jackson and Dear 2016;Bumochir 2018b). 9 My next chapter shows how this object becomes less privileged in the contest against other objects in the process of building the nation.…”

State, Popular Mobilisation and Gold Mining in Mongolia

“…As I find in this chapter, the circulation of anxiety in the population is a justification to politically mobilise by identifying precarity in the independence and reifying the national economy. For example, this anxiety is a key factor for some political leaders to justify why Mongolian rulers had to embrace America and capitalism (see also Bumochir 2018b). They also consider the precarity of independence and the importance of third neighbours as something that is real and actual.…”

The State, Popular Mobilisation and Gold Mining in Mongolia

“…To find a solution to secure the independence and assist the national economy, those political leaders welcomed the free market and democracy and the so-called 'third neighbours' including the US, Japan and other powers in Western Europe. This chapter intends not only to give a historical account of that period but also to provide a counter-narrative to the account that Mongolia was a passive victim of neoliberal forces of America and its allies (see also Bumochir 2018b).…”

“…Alicia Campi and Ragchaa Baasan write that Prime Minister Bodoo Dogsom (1921-22) 'wanted the United States, in conjunction with Soviet Russia, to act as Mongolia's protector, especially in regards to negotiations with China' (2009, 105; see also Bulag 1998, 13). 8 Not only in 1990 but also in 1911 -when the theocratic government of Mongolia proclaimed political independence -mining and particularly gold mining was immediately adopted to fund the emerging nation-state and to promote its national economy (Tuya and Battomor 2012;Bonilla 2016;Jackson and Dear 2016;Bumochir 2018b). 9 My next chapter shows how this object becomes less privileged in the contest against other objects in the process of building the nation.…”