Imperialism

It is the unfortunate fate of many to misjudge imperialism. What are its boundaries and exceptions? Historians exist because history, in its essence, remains unresolved. In my opinion, the truth lies somewhere in the ambiguous abyss between the theory that imperialism is entirely corrupt and selfish, and the opposing viewpoint which argues that imperialism is nothing less than an altruistic and selfless mission to better the world. True, there are many benefits to imperialism: due to it, there are educational systems erected, infrastructure constructed, technology implemented, and cultures broadened to a more global view. However, the negatives also exist. Freedom is snatched away, liberty is confiscated, justice is done away with, and agency is transferred from the imperialized nation to the imperial power. More often than not, the country is exploited for its natives’ labor capacity and the raw materials it contains, which will in turn be shipped to the imperial power, for its gain alone. The imperialized country’s language, religion, and culture become infiltrated and slowly but surely disappear. The imperialized country becomes more like its imperial counterpart and the world is that much more homogeneous. It is my belief that the imperial powers’ justifications for their actions are complete and utter crap. They claim to desire the spread of freedom, liberty, and justice, but in reality they simply crave larger paychecks, more power, and glory for their country. It is my opinion that imperialism is an atrocious political scam and such a relationship should be avoided at all costs. The connection should only be forged if there exists an atmosphere of dire emergency. That is not to say that some positives don’t emerge from the process, but rather that the negatives greatly outweigh the positives. Thus, though imperialism played a large and important role in the world’s history, I believe it should stay where it belongs – in the past.