Colonialism in the 21st century
Studying African history and politics reveals the differences and the nuanced nature of colonialism across the continent, shaped by local dynamics and the specific colonial powers involved. However, one notices a foundational similarity that exists, enabling the recognition of modern-day colonialism elsewhere, even when it is disguised.
For example
- The beginning is always legitimised by some shaky logic
The 1885 Berlin Conference saw a handful of nations arbitrarily dividing a continent without consulting its inhabitants. Similarly, in 1947, another conference allocated the land of Palestine to a group of persecuted people without local consultation again. (Interestingly, when the Zionist movement was looking at different parts of the world to turn into their homeland, the then British government offered a section of Kenya and Uganda but was turned down based on opposition by the white settlers present — essentially we were already colonised)
2. Some will always be more equal than others.
The biggest problem in any colony is always the ‘native’ question. What will you do with the people present?
For the functional reason that you need to exploit them and their resources, one cannot create a country that everyone is free, equal and has similar rights.
This always leads to a creation of a multiple tier society, often split down along racial lines with distinct legal frameworks for each tier. The enforcement and maintenance of such a society will always lead to systems of zoning, control of movement and checkpoints.
In Africa, the prevalence of native bantustans and exclusive white highlands was not uncommon. The implementation of pass laws with distinctive identification cards such as dompas in South Africa and kipande in Kenya, with delineated areas where natives were allowed or prohibited, enforced by a network of checkpoints underscored the discriminatory practices enforced against the indigenous populations.
Today, Palestine’s situation mirrors historical colonial practices with designated areas like Gaza, identification cards, and restricted movement for Palestinians through hundreds of checkpoints.
3. International institutions prove inept at dealing with the situation
In 1935, when Italian leader Mussolini sought to colonize Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia) as part of Italy’s bid to rival European powers, Emperor Haile Selassie turned to the League of Nations, of which Abyssinia, having never been colonized, was a member. Anticipating swift justice, the emperor faced quick disappointment as the ‘League’ failed to intervene and protect Abyssinia’s rights to sovereignty. This lack of support forced the great emperor into exile for over a decade. Italy proceeded to ruthlessly subjugate Abyssinia, resulting in the loss of hundreds of thousands of Ethiopian lives. The complete loss of Ethiopia was only averted due to Italy’s entanglement in World War II, preventing further exploitation of the African nation.
The endorsement of colonialism by powerful nations renders such institutions incapable of providing meaningful resolutions, illustrating a recurring theme of ‘morals of convenience’ and ‘double standards.’ The United Nations’ numerous resolutions against Israel without tangible changes exemplify this trend.
4. Those who resisted are always termed as savages and terrorists
Philosopher Frantz Fanon, in his work “The Wretched of the Earth” best explained that the process of colonisation is extremely violent as it requires one group of people to not only dehumanise, subjugate and exploit another, but to consistently maintain it at all times.
In witnessing the bloody Algerian war of independence, he concluded that colonialism only yields when confronted with greater violence. This is probably why you do not get called a freedom fighter before you are labelled a terrorist. This is because unlike the slow, systemic violence of continued oppression that one can easily tune out, it is easy to paint any episodic violent disruption to ‘order’ as savage barbarism and senseless violence.
All freedom fighting groups have been labelled as terrorists from the Mau Mau in Kenya to the the ANC in South Africa. One man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist. There is no state, including the United States of America that attained full independence from colonialism without violence.
Never forget that the violence in Palestine even when not in the news is continuous and ongoing. The violence will only ever truly stop when there is complete liberation.
There are many other similarities one can draw with the situation in Palestine and many settler colonial states in Africa especially in the East and South of Africa. However, I think there is a more interesting lesson to draw from this happening in the 21st century.
Essentially, the ongoing conflict in Palestine interestingly serves as a litmus test for humanity’s moral advancement, probing our instinctive notions that we are obviously evolving into a more ethical species. In short it is asking;
“Can something as brutal and savage as colonialism happen in the 21st century?”
“Sure just like slavery, this was a thing in the past and that would never happen today. We are now better than that — all of us collectively. I mean, we all wear suits now, and are polite to each other across the world and even use gender neutral words such as chairperson.”
Sadly, while many regions over the last century have at least gained ‘flag’ independence, we still live within the same international structures of domination and exploitation that gave us colonialism in the 19th century and now in the 21st century.
However, one other similarity about all colonial projects is they eventually fail. Some fail quickly while others last longer, but the endless cycles of violence make them unsustainable to the point they eventually fall.
As Aimé Césaire said “My only consolation is that periods of colonization pass, that nations sleep only for a time, and that peoples remain.”
