I offer you to take a closer look at the phenomenon of Imperialism and answer one of the two questions posed below:
1. Kipling described imperialism as the burden that "the white man" needs to carry despite the resistance and "thanklessness" of the natives.
What do you believe were the major motives behind the European and American drive towards the establishment of colonial empires? Was economics primary? How important was the issue of national prestige? How sincere were the talks of "civilizing mission" and the "white man's burden"? Perhaps reasons lie elsewhere - it is for you to discover or uncover them.
2. Together with Orwell, I would like you to consider the effects of Imperialism on Europe. Was it truly a way of depriving the colonial oppressor of his agency, as Orwell suggests? Was the European psyche habituated to violence as the result of that experience - a kind of habituation explaining much of the brutal character of the subsequent world wars?
1. Kipling described imperialism as the burden that "the white man" needs to carry despite the resistance and "thanklessness" of the natives.
What do you believe were the major motives behind the European and American drive towards the establishment of colonial empires? Was economics primary? How important was the issue of national prestige? How sincere were the talks of "civilizing mission" and the "white man's burden"? Perhaps reasons lie elsewhere - it is for you to discover or uncover them.
2. Together with Orwell, I would like you to consider the effects of Imperialism on Europe. Was it truly a way of depriving the colonial oppressor of his agency, as Orwell suggests? Was the European psyche habituated to violence as the result of that experience - a kind of habituation explaining much of the brutal character of the subsequent world wars?
With Industrial Revolution, which brought economical growth, Europe was looking for a new trade markets. Asia and Africa were great candidates for Europe nations to spread their empires. Colonies on these continents would be great places to get cheap, raw materials for factories.
ReplyDeleteI regard civilizing mission was only an excuse to extend area of interests. They thought it was a responsibility to control uncivilized areas of Asia & Africa. So, i think economics was one of the most crucial parts of Imperialism, if not the most crucial. In my opinion, when territorial division has finished, it inevitably led to the new division.
The Kipling's poem is for the most part regarded as racist and pro-European,in other words, his writing is usually referred to as the cover aimed to justify the colonial policy of European states,namely the United Kingdom taking over the regions of Asia and Africa. He perspective regarding the issue claims that the territorial overtake in itself had a positive implications on the colonial regions,these include the increasing literacy rates and an introduction of modern political abd economical structures. In this way,the 'whites' can be considered as having the 'burden' of so called emancipation.The real picture of the colonial policies is evidently different from the presented humanitarian aim. From my perspective,the real underlying reason for the overtake layed in the need for an expansion of state's authority in terms of economical and political power.
ReplyDeleteWhile the air at the turn of the XX century represented the slicing of a pie, I picture to myself of Imperialism as making a pie before slicing. Interestingly enough, foreign underdeveloped countries of the time preceding the era of imperialism were populated by natives, but they were not considered to be discovered yet. Europeans had seen the imperialist course of action more as a necessity, as a sort of millstone they should to carry, treating seized backward countries as mere possessions, in the mean time becoming indignant when deprived of the control over them.
ReplyDeleteThe crucible of imperialism rested on the national antagonism amongst the leading colonial states. It bore resemblance with a game where each of the imperial European states, bestowed with the exceptional military impunity, felt free to take hold of any external territory seeking to outstrip its every other competitive state. Upon establishing colonies in such a precipitous rush, Europeans brooked no hindrances making use of their ingenious and most advanced weaponry. And I think that this very "drive" was one more to the all already mentioned in the question.