The Faults of Colonialism
The article focuses on the faults of colonialism, but from the standpoint of nationalism and the territorial rights of the various conquered nations' indigenous. However, it does not criticize colonialism solely on the basis of imperialist violations of nationality and national rights, but instead argues its position on the basis that colonialism is evil. It consists in the establishment and maintenance of a political relationship that denies natives of the colonized nation access to equal and reciprocal cooperation rules. On various counts, the arguments that colonialism is immoral because it contradicts the spirit of nationalism or national rights have proven unconvincing. It is only through such an alternative perspective that the ills of colonialism can be precisely be revealed.
Territorial Rights and Different Forms of Colonialism
Territorial rights are attributable to claims to individual parcels of land, natural resources, and geographical locations that belong to a particular group of people, the natives. As reiterated in the United Nations Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries, it was apparent that every humanity has an inalienable right to full freedom, exercise their sovereignty, and observe the integrity of their national territory. Colonialism existed in different forms that include settler, commercial, and civilizing colonialism. Settler colonialism involved colonialists settling on the pieces of land of the natives. Commercial colonialism involved colonialists exploiting the natural and human resources of the colonized nations for the benefit of the colonizers. Civilization colonialism involved activities such as education and exposure of the natives to the cultures of the colonizers.
The Historical Injustices of Colonialism
However, colonialism came with adverse historical injustices that included the burning of the settlements of citizens, torturing innocent people, slaughtering of children, subjecting the entire populations to slavery, exploitation of natural resources as well as ethnic and racial discrimination. The wrongs of colonialism are clearly demonstrated in the deprivation of equality and reciprocity in the decision-making process. Oppression of the minorities, grave unequal alliances as well as the apartheid societies are some of the examples. The article argues that if we reduce the argument on the ills of colonialism to the violation of territorial rights, it will be very challenging to criticize colonial settlement practices. However, it acknowledges that such a line of argument does not endorse the historical injustices of colonialism such as mass murder, racial discrimination, labor and resources exploitation, and slavery as well as ethnic cleansing.
The Offensive System of Political Relationships
While it is unfair to invoke colonialists' fair access and self-defense actions, it is critical to defending the alternative argument that they ought to have extended the same perspective to the native population. Unfortunately, the denial of rights to fair access and self-defense by the natives, one can say that the ills of colonialism derive from the aspect that they systematically denied the indigenous populations such crucial rights rather than linking them to nationalism and territorial rights. The wrong of colonialism rests in its exemplifying an offensive system of political relationships with the natives and not because of national entitlement. While colonialism is a distinctive wrong, it is illogical to place the entire argument in the light of violations of nationalism and national rights because of the several faces of oppression and brutality to which it subjected the natives of the various colonized nations.
Discussion Questions
What is wrong with colonialism?
Are there positive effects of colonialism?
Could colonized countries be considered free to reject contracts and concessions signed by their colonizers?
How can colonized countries end oppressive relations with their former colonizers?
