One and a Half Cheers for Colonialism

19th century colonialism has long been seen by much of the world today as an evil, a period in history that should never again repeated, but in reality, it was not all that unique or terrible. True enough, the harshness and cruelty experienced by the colonized was atrocious and no reason or argument can ever justify such treatment of any human being. But to single out and criticize only the West or even demand reparations for their behavior towards the “third world” would be unfair. Though perhaps not always on as grand a scale, civilizations have been invading, conquering, and subjugating other civilizations since the ancient times and they are not justified in their actions either. But what is done is done and no matter how much people lash back at the West, the suffering cannot be undone, so it is better now to focus on making the best of 19th century colonialism. That is not to say that those responsible should not be punished, but that violence against the West in the name of revenge is not the solution. Instead, both the “colonized” and the “colonizers” should work together to expand and improve the benefits brought on by colonialism. The colonists brought with them modern technology, organized infrastructure, and most importantly the ideas of civil rights. The latter was a product of the West and without its introduction it may not have developed on its own for a very long time. Ironically, opening the door to colonization also inadvertently opened the door to the ideas of civil rights, which then influenced the people of the colonies to fight for those rights that their descendents now enjoy. Either argument regarding colonialism cannot win over the other, so unlike D’Souza, I will only give one and a half cheers for colonialism.

Imperialism: True Reform or Economic Motives?

Imperialism, often identified as “the white man’s burden” to civilize, educate, and reform indigenous peoples in third world countries, has been a constant issue since the 19^th century. Forcefully promoting and injecting culture, politics and economics into a country in a state of poverty has its benefits, such as economic success and stable political positions. With imperialism, third world countries are able learn the art of craft of establishing flourishing states, and reap the benefits of the colonizer. Ultimately, however, the question is if the benefits of imperialism outweigh the burdens.

            With colonization comes a loss of culture, a silenced indigenous voice, and often, oppression. In many cases, such as that of the French colonization of Algeria and the Belgian colonization of Rwanda, extreme cultural tensions emerge, and mass genocides result. This kind of backlash against enforced colonial policies is a major threat to the intrinsic point of colonization.

Although affluent countries appear to try and aid countries in need through colonial rule, they often end up thwarting the growth of the nation on its own, in turn harming the countries own cultural and religious growth. Other motives often motivate the colonization of a country: such as natural resources, and religious conversion. Although these motives seem legitimate, they eventually taint the national identity, and impede the type of nationalism that makes a nation strong. Personally, I believe that if a country is truly in need of reform and political support, the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations should contribute to the cause. All in all, colonization and imperialism were negative “reforming” movements that only stunted the progress of independence.  

I strongly believe than in analyzing the consequences of imperialism, many tend to shed light on the drawbacks while ignoring the benefits that have helped shape our world today. While I realize in many cases imperial governments have suspect moral frameworks and benefit unjustly from their presence overseas, the globalization sparked by early imperialism has improved lives everywhere in the long run when done in moderation. The initial effects in the colonized territory are often negative, as there is turmoil, confusion, and dissent among the natives that are being shown or forced into a new way of life. However, in the long run imperialism adds many things that we take for granted. Trade is helped, infrastructure is built, and cultures mesh over time. Exposure to the rest of the world stimulates new thoughts and ideas, and healthy competition makes everyone strive for something better. Without a significant European presence, much of the world would be far less developed than it is now. Roads were built, technology was introduced, and the lives of people living in developing countries would be very different today had imperialism never come about. Not only are there benefits in the developing countries, but within the imperial nation as well. Often there are natural resources in colonies, and this can aid the economy in a huge way. Colonizing new lands can be a way of asserting power and dominance on the world stage, and the competition of countries helps push innovation to new levels. In conclusion, while there are significant drawbacks to imperialism, there are also major benefits.