Civilization and Colonialism

Posting on behalf of Jose Calle --FL

Civilization and Colonialism both have the same outcomes, to conquer and to rule the uncivilized, in the poem “The Poor Man’s Burden,” By George McNeill and in the novel This Earth of Mankind, by Pramoedya Ananta Toer illustrate this mutuality between civilization and Colonialism. As we discussed in class civilization or a civilize person is well educated, a leader, has a specific religion, power and most important is driven by reasoning. This ideology of enlightenment is used within colonialism. In other words colonizers (British, United States) are using civilization in order to colonize. At the beginning of empires as we discussed empires used ideology of believes of truth with out questioning to conquer land and people. In similar way Colonialism is conquering by using the ideology of civilization. What I can see the only change was the idea from religion base to reasoning conquer but not the method.

Civilization then is a tool used to colonize easily without questioning. In other words given some reasoning to people makes them easy to conquer. The knowledge given to the colonist is the required in order to govern. If the religion was no longer an effective weapon then turning “salvages” into civilize “manhood” through reasoning was easy to get the same outcomes where political, economical and ideological: land, exploitation, wealth and power. For instance in the novel, “Sing Veni, vidi, vici—I came, I saw, I conquered,” (p. 22) this phrases is used to describe in both imperialism (Civilization) and colonialism as one because at the end both are conquer whether through civilization or ideological. The relationship between civilization and colonialism is mutual and mutually complement one another. For example Minke in the novel who depend on the Europeans teacher in order to learn reasoning. Minke a privilege Native who goes to H.B.S. a prestige Dutch high school is a symbol of Colonialism and civilization. The fact that Minke is learning how to write and read or I’ll say bringing him into a new world of reasoning through this ideal making him easily to be control or conquer. As we discussed class he is unique and he doesn’t realize that because he is the only native in this school. I believe the fact that he is becoming more like a European makes him forget where he comes from or who he is.

I have a question; can we say that civilization is Imperialism in modernity? How can civilization be if the only way to acquire to civilized people is through uncivilized actions? Doesn’t exploitation is uncivilized?