Abstract This paper discusses how the writings describe different methods used by foreign or colonialpowers to break the spirit of colonized peoples. It examines what these methods are and also looks at their effects. It tells how colonizers have often attempted to control and subjugate their colonies, but in the end, their dominance usually backfires, and the subjugated rise up to fight for their freedom and their own culture.
From the Paper "Colonialism is an antiquated idea that has nearly disappeared, but not so long ago it was still an accepted and even celebrated way for strong countries to vanquish the weak. Author Aime Cesaire called the practice "a receptacle into which there flow all the dirty waters of history" (Cesaire 45), and his description is quite apt, considering the sufferings most colonized subjects discuss after they have gained their freedom, and their sufferings were certainly not centered only on violence. The colonization of unwilling subjects, such as Japan's colonization of Korea certainly entails violence, but there are much more subtle ways to bend the colonials to the whims of the aggressors, as Kim's book poignantly illustrates. For example, the Japanese begin indoctrinating the young Koreans early by hanging the Japanese flag and propaganda slogans in their elementary school classrooms (Kim 31). Later, the Japanese break the spirit of the Koreans by taking what is theirs, and leaving them with little."
Abstract This essay discusses the rationale for British colonialism from the perspective of other colonialpowers from Europe. The European perspective is favorable to colonialism, the primary, albeit non-spoken, premise being assertion of superiority. The revisionist perspective, on the other hand, is one of revulsion towards imperialism. The lives of three symbols of colonialist power are illustrated in this paper: Lord Robert Clive, the first Governor General of India; Lord Charles Cornwallis, last Governor General of America; and Captain James Cook, the discoverer and first foreign, non-aboriginal purveyor of the newly discovered land of Australia. The paper shows that, although Britain's history might expound their virtues of martial and leadership abilities and their adventurous spirit, their exploits also resulted in untold hardships in the colonies they helped establish. The paper includes an annotated bibliography.
From the Paper "Ironically also, when much is made of the British Royalty that probably will stand the test of time, Britain was the first nation to demonstrate to the world that democracy was the best form of governance, bar none. This ideal put pay to entire eras of medieval serfdom. Self-determination of the common man, wherever practiced today, means that the people are relatively satisfied. Revisionist theories would predict, however that democracy as a concept was self-evolving and would have happened at some point in history, whether it happened with British or not."
Tags: mercantilism, Navigation, Acts, East, India, Company
Abstract The paper explains that both Cuba and Barbados became important sources of agricultural products for their respective colonialpowers, Spain and Britain, and both developed a plantation system which included the use of African slaves. The paper then compares the economy of two of those colonies, and shows how the British colony of Barbados differed in many economic factors from the Spanish colony of Cuba.
Outline:
The Beginning of a Spanish Colony: Cuba
An English Colony - Barbados
From the Paper "The Spanish explored and established colonies in many places in the New World beginning at a very early date. Christopher Columbus first stopped in Cuba on his second voyage. Cuba's settlement began in 1511 when Diego Velasquez and 300 men were sent from Hispaniola."
"The island was home to many Tainos tribesmen, who resisted Spanish rule, but were easily and quickly conquered. By 1517 Cuba was divided into municipal divisions, each of which was run by a council that reported to a royal council back in Spain."
Abstract This paper discusses European colonial rule in the global south. The paper argues that it is not possible to generalize about the impact of European colonial rule on the global south, because that impact varies so markedly, depending upon the particular colonialpower and the region in question.
From the Paper "In The Dynamics of Global Dominance David B Abernethy maintains that identifying the legacies of European rule is fraught with conceptual and methodological perils. To assert that colonialism had consequence X or Y is not to claim ..."
Tags: Africa, East Southeast Asia, Latin America, Middle-East, development, Britain, WWII, export, culture, politics, resources
This paper reviews Derek Gregory's book "The Colonial Present: Afghanistan, Palestine, Iraq", which examines the war on terror based on the history of U.S. and British involvement in the region going back decades.
Abstract This paper explains that Derek Gregory, in "The Colonial Present", spends much of the book describing the actions of Britain and the U.S. in trying to impose control over the peoples of the region. The author points out that former colonial regions of the world are virtually all encumbered today by tensions and state failures because of the condition these regions were left in when the colonialpowers withdrew. The paper states that the Middle East, which has been of strategic importance to both countries for some time, often served as a staging ground for conflicts with the Soviet Union; however, the way the West has related to the Middle East has changed since 9-11. The author criticizes that Gregory, a geographer, does not delve deeply into the internal divisions now causing the factional war in Iraq.
From the Paper "Many of the states in the Middle East are marked by repressive policies, violations of human rights, and non-democratic cultures. The irony is that most of these regimes were set up or propped up by Britain, France, and the United States in decades past, a fact which Gregory says means that the U.S. and the other nations area not innocent, which also helps explain the anger now directed at the West by the Arab world. Gregory notes how many people are asking questions about the guilt of the West and the response of the Middle East, and he says he does not intend to decide which view is correct but only to note the dichotomy they produce."
Demonstrates the British concept of colonialism in literary works by Elizabeth Nunez, Khushwant Singh, William Shakespeare and especially E. M. Forster.
Abstract This paper presents illustrations of the British concept of colonialism from E. M. Forster's "A Passage to India", Elizabeth Nunez' "Prospero's Daughter", Khushwant Singh's "Train to Pakistan" and William Shakespeare's play "The Tempest". The paper focusses on E.M. Forster's work and points out how his novel shows that the colonial relationships are highly subjective and contextual and that the colonialpower does not have real cultural access to the feelings and the meanings of the culture upon which it is impinging. The paper indicates that this same theme is repeated in the other examples.
From the Paper "The narrow view of Shakespeare's famous play of colonization is explicitly questioned in Elizabeth Nunez's novel "Prospero's Daughter". There, the mad scientist Dr. Gardner takes over the native orphan boy Carlos' land and falsely accuses him, as the boy comes of age and can lay claim to his property, of raping Gardner's daughter Virginia. Gardener uses this as justification for his taking possession of everything Carlos owns. He even uproots the life-giving native fruit trees crops because they take away from the beauty of his transplanted soil and grass."
Tags: romance, social transgression, stereotypes servants tolerance
Abstract This paper explains that the reign of Emperor Hirohito, from 1926 to 1989, was designated Showa, or "Enlightened Peace"; this period includes World War II but historians disagree on the degree to which Hirohito supported Japan's expansionist policies from 1931 to World War II. The author points out that, on Jan. 1, 1946, Hirohito repudiated the traditional quasi-divine status of Japan's emperors and, under the nation's new constitution, drafted by U.S. occupation authorities, Japan became a constitutional monarchy with sovereignty resided in the people, not in the emperor, whose powers were severely curtailed. The paper relates the political issues during the Showa period and the prior era in which Japan rejected Western colonization.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Showa Period
Political Developments
Japan's Rise as a ColonialPower
From the Paper "Hosokawa initiated political reform, including limitations on campaign contributions and a change in the Japanese electoral system from multiple-member to single-member districts. He achieved some success in limiting contributions and managed to pass a modified elections package that included the creation of 300 single-member constituencies. Opposition within his coalition to tax reform and accusations of his own involvement in the Miyazawa-era scandal forced his resignation in April 1994. Hosokawa's successor lasted a mere two months."
Abstract This paper analyzes post colonial Africa in a critical way, using contemporary thought in African politics. The role of the state in a state-led, as opposed to a liberalized economic entity and one where the state is expected to be partner, facilitator and mediator, yet to an extent still interventionist, is examined. Problems of democratization and development on the African continent, the epidemic of AIDS, other health disorders and lack of the state power to control some problems in ethnic clashes is thoroughly discussed.
From the Paper "After years of colonial rule, especially up to the 1960s and 1970s the concept of the state has been critically reviewed in order to appraise its function within the context of the operation of government and politics in Africa. It is one argument to suppose that within the post-colonial era ? which is the period just after the so-called "end" of colonial rule up to the pre and post-independence periods between the early 1950s throughout the 1960s and even onward to present ? the state lost or is losing its effectiveness. It is another argument to consider that with the establishment of multiparty regimes, the state's role was in fact consolidated. However, conceptually as well as practically, the role of the state and how Africans view the legitimacy of such an entity was much influenced by the fact that it was used by dominant groups within different African territories for individual domestic reasons. Different political cultures of some territories such as Ghana, Kenya, Burkina Faso, Mali and even to an extent Uganda, Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa generally, have only partially allowed democracies to flourish. This caused limited political, economic and social development in Africa as a whole."
Abstract This paper discusses Dutch and British Colonial rule in South Africa. It argues that, to a large extent, British colonial rulers allowed greater autonomy to Africans than did the Dutch. This did not mean, however, that they were more humanitarian. Although there were elements of British rule that were certainly less racist and oppressive, the British adopted many of the same attitudes and policies towards black people as did their predecessors. Nonetheless, the more liberal attitudes, despite their contradictions, provided a foundation for future changes.
An examination of the history of the United States as an imperial power and consideration of the implications of its position now that America is the only country in the world able to lay claim to the term superpower.
Abstract This paper discusses the expansion of the American empire from its early days as a nation of farmers through being an imperial power with expanding territories to being the world's only superpower since the collapse of the Former Soviet Union. It evaluates whether it is a good thing for a state to be so powerful and looks at how long America can actually stay in this position in light of today's political world.
Outline
Introduction
Manifest Destiny
Land Acquisition through Conquest and Purchases
Implications of American Imperialism
America's History as an Imperialist Power America as an Agricultural Country
The Need for Markets
Foreign Markets and American Imperialism
American Hegemony vs. other Imperial Powers Comparison with the Soviet Union
Comparison with Britain
Negative Implications
America as the World's Only Superpower
America after the Collapse of the USSR
America as a Benign Hegemony
Collapse of Empire
Conclusion
From the Paper "America began as a small cluster of colonies clinging to the eastern shore of the great continent of North America. As the country expanded westward, and also northward and southward, a spirit of "manifest destiny" gripped the land as pioneers, patriots and politicians sought to bring under American domination ever greater amounts of territory. Through land purchases such as the Louisiana Purchase, and through conquest, as in the case of the lands acquired as a result of the Mexican War and the Spanish American War, the country grew until it stretched from sea to sea, and from the Rio Grande River in the south, far north to the cold stretches of the Canadian wilderness."
Abstract During the colonial period in Africa the French adopted a policy of assimilation in areas under their control whereby indigenous inhabitants of the area were encouraged to adopt French culture as their own and to integrate into French society. The author of this paper suggests that the French colonial administration in Senegal used colonialism as a form political subordination. In the paper, the writer analyzes colonialism as a form of political and cultural subordination in Colonial Senegal. The paper also discusses the outcomes of French colonial policy in Senegal.
Outline:
French West Africa: Colonialism in Context
French Policy in Senegal: Colonialism as Political Subordination
The Colonial Administration and The struggle For Islamic Courts
Reactions and Strong Resistance by Originaires
Works Cited
From the Paper "Historians refer to the demise of the AOF as the Balkanization of French West Africa. These historical facts lead us to the question; did colonialism in Senegal foster political and cultural subordination? The French administrative policies in the region suggest that Colonialism fostered political and cultural subordination. It could be argued that the French assimilation policy towards the four Communes of the colony of Senegal was that of colonialism as a form of political subordination towards the Originaires."
Abstract This paper discusses Mintz's book "Sweetness and Power". It explores the discussion of the book of the link between consumption and production of sugar in the British empire.
From the Paper "In his landmark book "Sweetness and Power", Sidney Mintz highlights the important role that sugar or sucrose played in the development of British power. Mintz is fundamentally concerned with the synergistic relationship between production and consumption of commodities. In his book he explores the synergy between the consumption of sugar in England and its production in the colonies founded by the British Empire. His main argument is basically that man's sweet tooth is not the explanation for the importance of sugar to the British diet. Instead Mintz believes that ..."
Tags: sugar, colonies, british empire, consumption, production
Abstract The paper analyzes "The Colonial Heritage of Latin America," by Stanley and Barbara Stein who argue that many of the characteristics and limitations of Latin America have their inception during the colonial period and have been altered only slightly with the passage of time and increasing technology that enables better contact with the rest of the world. The paper discusses the suggestion that Latin America is a continent that has only been able to inadequately fulfill its development potential, based on the limitations of the persistent characteristics of its colonial past.
From the Paper "In "The Colonial Heritage of Latin America," Stanley and Barbara Stein argue that many of the characteristics and limitations of Latin America have their inception during the colonial period and have been altered only slightly with the passage of time and increasing technology that enables better contact with the rest of the world."
Tags: Latin America, development, colonialism, economic, globalization, trade, statism, nationalism
Abstract This paper examines political development in Latin America. The paper concentrates on colonial legacy and political equality. The paper discusses how it is essentially argued that neo-colonialism is just the continuation of colonialism. The paper explains that the only difference is a change of tactics.
From the Paper "In Latin America, Colonialism and Imperialism were worldwide phenomena in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In "Promises Not Kept" John Isbister states, The nineteenth century was the age of imperialism in the third world, the twentieth century the age of nationalism and independence. Rebels and patriots fought back against the white imperialist, driving them from their lands and creating new nations in the wake of their departure." (Isbister 101) Almost every country in North America, South America, Asia and Africa has experienced imperialism and colonialism of one form or another. Although most of these countries are now sovereign nations, colonialism and imperialism have left a lasting legacy."
Abstract This paper describes the relationship of the American colonies to England prior to the Revolutionary War. The author attempts to do this from both the American perspective and that of the British, showing that the relationship between the colonies and England benefitted both sides. The author believes, however, that the main reason for the breakup that occurred between the American colonies and the Empire was the increase of taxes and contributions to the royal Reserve. Additionally, the author shows how the political thought of the time and various acts of legislation also contributed to the break-up.
From the Paper "The Seven Years War represented a trying moment in the history of the relations between the American colonies and the British. Every colony, throughout the war was forced to offer assistance to the fighting troops; consequently, the US did back Britain in its quest for victory against the French but at the same time gave rise to a serious conflict between them. The British genera opinion was that the colonies should, in their turn contribute to the increase in revenue seeing that they benefited from the protection of the empire."
