Colonialism

March 28, 2005

Two Kinds

• “c”olonialism (Guns, Germs, and Steel):– Migration of people into new areas where

they replace indigenous populations

• “C”olonialism– Historical era (1492-1960) when

European states conquered and/or dominated the rest of the world

Important Questions

• How has “race” been shaped by both kinds of colonialism?

• How have ideas of race/ethnicity changed over time?

• What relationships are there between nationalism, race and ethnicity?

Imperialism

• Earliest states (Egypt, Incas, Greeks, Romans)

• Expansion to create empires:– Economic gain– Spreading religion– International prestige

Prehistoric Imperialism?

• Why do sophisticated technologies and food production appear in New Guinea but not Australia?

Why is China so Chinese?

• Two distinct language families: – Northern Chinese (Sino-Tibetan):

Mandarin, Cantonese and their relatives

– Southern Chinese:• Miao-Yao (Hmong)• Tai-Kadai (Thai, Lao)• Austroasiatic (Vietnamese, Cambodian)

Austronesia

• Austronesian language family: (Malay, Indonesian) spreads from Easter Island to Hawaii to Madagascar

• Agricultural, ocean-going culture originating in SE Asia

colonialism and Colonialism

• Physiological and Cultural differences

• Religious differences• Encoded in formal government

bureaucracy.

colonialism and Colonialism

• What do these people have in common?

Colonialism

• Two Phases:– I. Age of Exploration (1492 – 1825)

• Dominant Powers: Spain, Portugal, Holland

• Goals: Mercantilism

– II. 1825 – 1960s• Dominant Powers: England, France,

Germany, Italy, Belgium• Goals: Land grab, prestige, resources

Colonialism

• Ideology– Social evolution (teleology)– Modernization (progress, technology)– Race– Class – “White Man’s Burden” intervention

philosophy

Colonialism

• Two Types• Settled:

– Located only in temperate climates– N. America, Argentina, S. Africa, E.

Australia– Places to send excess population

(convicts and religious extremists)

Colonialism

• Two Types:• Extractive:

– Majority of Colonies– Extracting natural resources for profit– Agricultural products for export

• Labor intensive agriculture (plantations)• “Breakfast and dessert economy”

Colonialism

• Three types of power– Military– Economic– Ideological

Colonialism

• Military Power– Forced conscription– Enslavement– “Gunboat diplomacy”

Colonialism

• Economic Power– “Carrot”: consumer goods (cotton

clothing, tobacco, alcohol)– “Stick”: taxation

• Enforcement: Census, ID Cards, Birth Certificates, Administrators

Colonialism

• Ideological Power– Hegemony (ideological domination)– Education, Missionization– Indirect rule through local elites– Racial politics

End of Colonialism

• Post WWII-1960s• Too expensive for colonial powers • Restructured international political

and economic system– Created monetary institutions like

World Bank and IMF– Marshall Plan (Europe)– “Neocolonialism”

colonialism and Colonialism

• What do these people have in common?