Colonialism and Neocolonialism

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Direct Colonial Rule: maintenance of power through the occupation and ownership of overseas territories e.g. British Empire

How can colonial power be maintained?

Military - occupation of territory

Culture and media - cultural imperialism through art, religion and language

Law - imposition of alien legal system and ownership rights

Economic power - exporting to home country

Government - by dictat, through colonial administrators

Ethnic cleansing of difficult groups

Justifying the Direct Colonial Rule:

Modernism:

Modernists believed that the world could be improved by human intervention and achievement - that Europe could improve the world by colonising (1930's). Europe was the continent most naturally able to give the rest of the world a lead. Early modernists believed that the British were naturally intelligent. Through their conquest and knowledge of foreign people, Europeans could portray themselves as modern, civilised, superior and progressive when compared with indigenous people.

Mackinders Heartland:

British geographer thought that Asia/Europe was the pivotal control point for the world (1904). The rest of the world was peripheral and therefore needed colonising.

Social Darwinism/Evangelism:

Spread of christian word through schools/churches. People in the colonies were inferior (racially and culturally) they needed to be civilised for a moral reason

Neocolonialism:

Indirect control over developing countries through;

Strategic alliances

Aid

TNC's

Terms of trade

Global finance and debt

Structural Adjustment Policies (SAP)