reading imperialism

This week focuses on the theme of imperialism in the context of culture and society.
Students are encouraged to engage critically with the texts and underlying themes by considering pertinent questions throughout the reading.

Response to British Colonialism: How far do you agree with the view on British colonialism presented in Text 1?
Ferguson's Claims: How might the reasoning behind Ferguson’s claim be questioned, especially concerning the preconditions for growth?
Washington Consensus and Ferguson's Argument: What is the 'Washington consensus', and how does Ferguson think this is relevant when considering the British Empire?
Fanon's Position on Ferguson: Do you think Frantz Fanon would agree with Niall Ferguson? Why or why not?
References in Text 2: Other than Fanon, who else does Text 2 refer to? Which key terms or individuals would you need to investigate further?
Fanon's View on Counter-Violence: What is Fanon’s point regarding counter-violence? What could be his reasons for advocating this perspective?
Lenin on Imperialism and Capitalism: Lenin connects imperial conquest with the need to expand capitalist markets. To what extent do you endorse this view? How does modern globalization relate to Lenin's perspective?
Military Force and Imperialism: Lenin suggests that imperialism, and thus Western capitalism, can only be upheld through military force. What examples can you provide to support or challenge this notion?

Source: Niall Ferguson, British Imperialism Revised: The Costs and Benefits of ‘Anglobalization’.
Ferguson is a prominent historian and has held professorships at various prestigious institutions.

Barro's Study: Robert Barro identified six critical variables influencing post-war economic growth:
1. Provision of secondary and higher education, particularly for men.
2. Availability of health care linked to life expectancy and growth.
3. Promotion of birth control.
4. Avoidance of non-productive government expenditures; that is, 'big government is bad for growth'.
5. Establishment of the rule of law.
6. Control of inflation to below 10% per annum
  (Barro, 1996).
Landes' Viewpoints: David Landes emphasized that an ideal growth-oriented government should:
1. Protect private property rights to encourage investment and savings.
2. Secure personal liberties against tyranny, crime, and corruption.
3. Enforce contracts effectively.
4. Provide stable governance based on transparent regulations.
5. Offer responsive and honest governance.
6. Maintain efficient governance to minimize tax burdens and claims on social surplus.
  (Landes, 1998).
British Colonial Characteristics: Ferguson highlights that British colonial administration exhibited characteristics matching some of Landes’s ideal government attributes, despite being non-democratic outside the Dominions.

The rule of law is vital for sustainable growth. A study of 49 countries concluded that common-law countries had the strongest legal protections for investors.
The prevalence of the common law system in eighteen of these countries can largely be attributed to their historical connection to British rule.
(La Porta et al., 1998).

Source: Pankaj Mishra, Frantz Fanon's Enduring Legacy, The New Yorker, 2021.
Fanon was a psychiatrist and revolutionary who aimed to decolonize the mind of oppressed peoples.

Jean-Paul Sartre, influential in France, called out the hypocrisy of those who professed humanity while ignoring colonial violence. He noted that cultural affection often masked Western atrocities against colonized populations.

Working in Algeria, he argued that psychiatric treatments were ineffective without abolishing colonialism, viewed as an 'absolute evil'.
He became active in the Algerian struggle against French colonial rule, contributing significantly to anti-colonial philosophy.

Colonial Violence: He posits that colonialism functions on “naked violence” and responds only to greater violence.
Counter-Violence as Therapy: Counter-violence is necessary to restore human dignity to the oppressed. He claims that government violence breeds resistance.
Cultural Degradation: European imperialists inflicted severe damage on the identity and community of colonized peoples, creating a psychological rupture.
Critique of Western Ideology: Fanon argues that the so-called values of the Western bourgeoisie—equality and dignity—are instruments of capitalist-imperialist exploitation.

Source: Vladimir Lenin, Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism.
Lenin describes imperialism as the ascendancy of finance capital and monopolies fueled by a quest for domination, not liberation.

Link Between Imperialism and National Oppression: Imperialism is characterized by national oppression and the desire for territorial annexations.
Historical Context: The infusion of capital into newly conquered territories escalates resistance from local populations, awakening national consciousness effort.
The Importance of Military Power: To maintain domination, European capitals must increase military forces as they face growing movements for national independence.

Barro, Robert J. (1996). Determinants of Economic Growth: A Cross-Country Empirical Study, NBER Working Paper, No. 5698.
Ferguson, Niall. (2003). Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World.
Landes, David S. (1998). The Wealth and Poverty of Nations.