Neo-Colonialism

Chris Ryan

Neo-Colonialism

Throughout the Imperialist age in Europe, colonialism was justified by the notion that white people were culturally superior to peoples of other continents. The “White Man’s Burden” of civilizing foreign populations may not have been the colonizers primary concern, but efforts to assimilate those under control of the Europeans did occur. Though the European efforts to civilize its colony’s inhabitants resulted in the formulation of Westernized customs, the colonies were hardly transformed into the fully modernized industrious nations idealized by the concept of the white man’s burden. Instead nations in Africa, the Middle East and other parts of the world had trouble adjusting to the new customs imposed on them by their colonizers, and arguably left them in a more violent, troubled state than they had previously been in. Before the colonization of sub-Saharan Africa, the area was inhabited by tribes that differed in ethnicity and region of inhabitance. Though the area was not entirely peaceful, the natural formation of tribes provided relative socio-political stability in the region. However, when the Europeans colonized the region, they split up different nations regardless of tribal differences. The division of African colonies partnered with technological and cultural changes ushered onto the people of Africa created a very turbulent environment. Even after the age of Imperialism, the affects of neo-colonialism are felt throughout Africa, as the sub-continent is plagued by war, disease and poverty. Similar affects are seen throughout the Middle East and North Africa, as nations formerly part of the Ottoman Empire were arbitrarily divided, causing racial and religious conflict. As a result the region is very violent even today, as conflicts of religion are rampant throughout the region.

Though the colonizers intentions for those they were colonizing were allegedly good, the white man did not come close to completing his objective of creating civil, Western people. Instead the affects of neo-colonialism created conflict and poor quality of living even after the colonizers left their respective regions.