By Jackie Liu - Hong Kong SAR
What is colonisation?
Colonialism, in simple terms, is defined as ‘control by one power over a dependent area of people’ (Blakemore). It occurs when one nation subjugates another to exploit its natural and human resources for the benefit of the colonisers. Throughout history, colonialism has been present worldwide, which has led to the benefits of some at the expense of exploiting others. Drawing examples from the British Empire and Belgium specifically, it is undeniable that the legacy of colonialism has inflicted enduring consequences upon its colonies, ranging from economic stagnation or even regression to social policies that cost the lives of many people. However, the core of the debate revolves around the moral dilemma of whether or not holding modern-day individuals accountable for historical injustices is the right action to take.
Reparations should be paid to former colonies
It is inarguable that colonisation has led to immense social and economic drainage. For example, British control over India. At the Battle of Plassey on 23 June 1757, the British defeated Nawab Siraj-ud-Doula’s army, establishing a puppet ruler in Bengal, Mir Jafar, thereby expanding British rule over India. Between 1769 and 1770, a famine hit the Bengal region, which was exacerbated by the lack of food reserves due to the high taxes imposed by the East India Company. The absence of a relief plan caused the death of up to 10 million people, primarily from starvation and illnesses. Under the British Raj, the Bengal famine between 1943 and 1944 also led to perpetual ramifications. This led to the loss of over 3 million deaths from malnutrition and starvation, while millions more were plunged into poverty, perpetuating the far-reaching implications of colonial policies (Hickel). 100 million people died prematurely at the height of British rule, this is larger than the combined number of deaths that occurred during all the famines in the Soviet Union, Maoist China, North Korea, Pol Pot’s Cambodia, and Mengistu’s Ethiopia (Sullivan and Hickel).
India’s share of the world economy was at 23% at the beginning of the 18th century, but by the time the British departed, it had dwindled to below 4%. By the late 19th century, India was a significant source of revenue for Britain, buying British exports at the expense of its own economy ("Viewpoint: Britain Must Pay Reparations to India"). During the World Wars, Britain heavily relied on Indian manpower, with over 1 million Indian soldiers deployed overseas in WW1 and a similar number in WW2. This reliance resulted in a debt of £3 billion which remains unpaid to this day (Jarboe). This highlights the negative impact of British colonial rule on India and illustrates broader colonial ramifications.
Between 1908 and 1960, Congo was ruled by Belgium. Since independence in 1960, the life expectancy in the Democratic Republic of Congo has climbed steadily from around 41 years to 59 years in 2015. Despite its significant growth, the life expectancy in the DRC is still much lower than some of the life expectancy of neighbouring countries. This can be seen as a direct impact of the DRC’s colonial past (McQuade). Economically, the Congo was rich in valued resources such as rubber and ivory. These resources were used to personally enrich Leopold as well as Belgium, however, this left the Congolese people in poverty. Under King Leopold II’s regime, better known as the Congo Free State, the indigenous population was subjected to forced labour including the collection of rubber and ivory under harsh conditions. In order to maintain control, the use of force included mutilations and killings were commonly seen. The brutality of the forced labour along with diseases and violence led to a significant decline in the population. Under Belgium rule, the Congolese population declined by estimates ranging from 3 million to 13 million between 1885 and 1908, some historians refer to this as a genocide in and off itself (De Mul).
Colonialism, as exemplified by the cases of British rule in India and Belgian rule in Congo, led to severe economic and social disruption. By extracting wealth from colonies, it caused economic stagnation and impoverishment in colonised regions while colonising nations enjoyed economic prosperity. Consequently, the better quality of life experienced by people in colonising nations can be a reflection of its colonial past. In an ideal world, reparations would be paid to all colonies who have suffered. This sum of money would be rounded up to rectify the country’s historical injustices and exploitation of resources in order to leave its colonial history to rest.
Nations should not need to pay reparations
The notion of reparation payment is held back by the plethora of issues that would come with paying reparations. Questions raised would include: How can one quantify the sum? Who is accountable today? Would any sum be enough to rectify past mistakes? No matter what the action is taken by the government, implementing a policy like this would be faced with widespread unpopularity in the modern day landscape, primarily as a result of the considerable economic burden it would place on nations.
In recent years, the debate for reparations has grown louder, British politicians have been wondering whether countries like India should even receive basic economic aid at the expense of the British taxpayer. However, in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, given the pressing need for economic recovery and the imperative of maintaining public support, concerns were raised about the feasibility of levying additional taxes on individuals to pay for their nation's historical colonial actions. Reparations can trigger disputes amongst citizens, impeding the possibility of reconciliation and perpetuating animosities, hindering the progression of nations. Moreover, holding modern taxpayers responsible fails to acknowledge that people today have no control over the actions of previous generations.
So realistically, what could be done? To begin with it is essential that nations recognise their wrongdoings. Instead of focusing on quantifying reparations, should focus on the principle of atonement, specifically from a moral standpoint. This holistic approach emphasises the acknowledgement of past wrongdoings and the need for reconciliation as opposed to the strict monetary compensation. For example, in a poll run by YouGov on attitudes towards the British empire, it confirmed that a large proportion of the public have a positive view of Britain’s imperial past. 43% thought that the British Empire was a ‘good thing’ while only 19% saw it as a bad thing. Similarly, 44% thought that Britain's history of colonialism is something to be proud of, while 21% thought it was something to regret (Duffy). This shows the importance of education which should be carried out to help understand the need for reconciliation for modern day citizens. Rather than condoning what happened, the government should prioritise fostering an environment to teach modern day citizens about their country’s past historical wrongdoings.
Conclusion
The question of whether modern day citizens should be held accountable for their country’s past colonisation is a complex issue. While colonialism undeniably inflicted significant social and economic damage on colonised regions, implementing reparations poses practical and moral difficulties. Nations should not have to pay reparations but should recognise its past wrongdoings and demonstrate a willingness for reconciliation. On an individual level, people should be more exposed to their country’s past wrongdoings to minimise misconceptions about superiority and gain a greater understanding of their country’s past from different perspectives.
Bibliography
Blakemore, Erin. "What Is Colonialism?" National Geographic, 19 Feb. 2019, www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/colonialism. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.
Hickel, Jason. "HOW BRITISH COLONIZERS CAUSED THE BENGAL FAMINE." New Internationalist, 21 Jan. 2022, newint.org/features/2021/12/07/feature-how-british-colonizers-caused-bengal-famine. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.
Sullivan, Dylan, and Jason Hickel. "How British Colonialism Killed 100 Million Indians in 40 Years." Al Jazeera, 2 Dec. 2022, www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/12/2/how-british-colonial-policy-killed-100-million-indians#:~:text=Between%201880%20to%201920%2C%20British,China%20and%20North%20Korea%20combined.&text=Recent%20years%20have%20seen%20a%20resurgence%20in%20nostalgia%20for%20the%20British%20empire. Accessed 7 Oct. 2023.
"Viewpoint: Britain Must Pay Reparations to India." BBC News, 22 Jul. 2015, www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-33618621. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.
Jarboe, Andrew T. Indian Soldiers in World War I: Race and Representation in an Imperial War. University of Nebraska Press, 2021.
McQuade, Joseph. "Colonialism Was a Disaster and the Facts Prove It." The Conversation, 27 Sept. 2017, theconversation.com/colonialism-was-a-disaster-and-the-facts-prove-it-84496. Accessed 7 Oct. 2023.
De Mul, Sarah. "THE HOLOCAUST AS A PARADIGM FOR THE CONGO ATROCITIES: ADAM HOCHSCHILD'S "KING LEOPOLD'S GHOST"." JSTOR, 2011. Accessed 7 Oct. 2023.
Duffy, Andrew. "What Does the British Public Really Think about the Empire?" Who Runs Britain?, 2 Feb. 2016, whorunsbritain.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/2016/02/02/what-does-the-british-public-really-think-about-the-empire/#:~:text=More%20than%20twice%20as%20many,it%20was%20something%20to%20regret. Accessed 8 Oct. 2023.
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