colonialism?

Colonialism has had both good and bad effects on colonies and ruling nations. Colonial powers have often exploited their colonies economically but on the other hand did bring some economic development. It raised living standards of many people by introducing Western agricultural, industrial and medical techniques. The population increased and that resulted in higher living standards. It also ended local wars in many areas and united those under one nation. Ruling powers set up modern educational systems and introduced democratic forms of government. It brought wealth and power to the ruling nations.

Advantages? To who? The occupying territory or the territory being occupied?

To those living in the occupied territory, there are very few advantages. Possible financial assistance from the occupying nation, I suppose. Or protection from rebellion, civil unrest, or occupation by another less desireable nation could be potential advantages. Possible overflow benefits from the economy of the occupying nation; i.e., job growth, higher minimum wage, better labor laws, etc. Of course, these are only potential benefits — oftentimes, the disadvantages far outweigh the advantages to the native people of the occupied territory.

Advantages to the occupying nation? The ability to exploit the occupied territory for its (potentially) cheaper labor and resources; the ability to use the occupied territory as a base of military and/or defense strategies and operations; as a trading post, dock, cargo transport station, etc.; the ability to spread propaganda / religion / social values to other parts of the world, through force or persuasion, also known as cultural imperialism.

Overall, in my opinion, the disadvantages of colonialism (at least to the occupied peoples) far outweigh the advantages… IN MOST CASES. There are, of course, exceptions to the rule, such as in cases where the native peoples are directly threatened by forces that could be potentially more devastating than occupation by a stable, humanitarian nation. Ideally, however, no people should be forced to live under rules, laws, and governments that they did not vote for in a democratic election; no group of people should have their cultures repressed or their resources exploited for the personal gains of an occupying nation. In a perfect world, territories would all be self-sustaining and independent, stable and on peaceful terms with the other sovereign nations and territories of the world.

Child labor making our goods and services cheaper, faster, crapier…… but cheaper.

I don’t think it really has many advantages, especially for those being colonized. The colonizers tend to rule over every aspect of the indiginous population, including, but not limited to: resourses, labor, and markets, which in turn creates a sort of cultural disconect, where the cultural identity of those being colonized is forced to conform to the colonizers own cultural, religious, political, and moral constructs.

Then again, I just hate the powers that be. Darn anti-social personality disorder.