Distinguish Between Colonialism And Neocolonialism Cultural Studies Essay

disclose Between Colonialism And Neocolonialism Cultural Studies EssayThe condition colony comes from the Latin intelligence information colonus, meaning farmer. This root reminds us that the practice of colonialism usually involved the steer of population to a new territory, where the arrivals lived as permanent settlers while maintaining semi semi governmental allegiance to their unpolished of origin.Colonialism is a practice of domination, which involves the subjugation of one population to an another(prenominal). One of the difficulties in defining colonialism is that it is not easy to distinguish it from neocolonialism. much the two concepts be treated as synonyms. Like colonialism, neocolonialism also involves political and scotchal control over a dependent territory. The etymology of the two terms, however, provides round clues about how they differ. gibe to Longman Contemporary English Dictionary colonialism is when a magnateful country runs a weaker one and establishes its own trade and society there. fountain OF COLONIALISMBefore the abolition of the slave trade by Denmark in 1802 and Britain in 1807. The entire West Afri gutter Coast witnessed trade in slaves which were posit for the plantations of the then Industrialized new knowledge base. The nations involved were France, Britain, Denmark, Portugal and Germany.About forty years later the trade changed to that of colonialism conquest and occupation by Europeans. The Berlin West African Conference of 1884 1885 gave international recognition to a situation that was already in existence. 1945 1960 witnessed a reversal of the turn of colonization decolonization while 1960 coin bank date is witnessing a reincarnation and a resurrection of colonialism neocolonialism.Below shows a chronology of dates and the episode of events from colonialism to neocolonialism and the present day ongoing process of neocolonialism.1880 1885 Proto-Colonial period1885 1945 Colonial eonSubdivi sion1884 1885 Berlin Conference (the scramble for Africa)1885 1900 finale of Conquest and occupation1900 1919 Period of Penetration1919 1939 Period of Colonial Rule1939 1945 Decline of colonial rule1945 1960 Period of decolonization1960 Till date Period of Neocolonialism.MEANING OF NEOCOLONIALISMThe term neocolonialism was first coined by Kwame Nkrumah, the first post-independence president of Ghana, and has been discussed by a crook of twentieth century scholars and philosophers, including Jean-Paul Sartre and Noam ChomskyNeocolonialism is the practice of using capitalism, globalization, and heathen forces to control a country (usually former European colonies in Africa or Asia) in home of direct military or political control. Such control can be sparingal, cultural, or linguistic, by promoting ones own culture, wording or media in the colony, corporations embedded in that culture can then make great headway in opening the markets in those countries. Thus, ne ocolonialism would be the result of crease interests starring(p) to deleterious cultural yields.Neocolonialism as defined by Longmans coetaneous English Dictionary is when a powerful country uses its economic and political influence to control another country.DEFERENCE BETWEEN COLONIALISM AND NEOCOLONIALISMThough colonialism and neocolonialism are two sides of a coin. There are a number of differences that distinguishes the two.COLONIALISMNEOCOLONIALISMIt is not modern (between 1880 1960sIt involves carnal or territorial occupation by the colonizersIt has endedIt is the early state of capitalism or imperialismIt varies according to country e.g. Indirect Rule, (British) and policy of assimilation association by the French.It was take by France and Britain.It is a modern phenomenonIt is not involve direct or physical presence of the colonizer any more(prenominal)It is ongoing i.e it is a perpetual processIt is the highest stage of ImperialismNeo-colonialism uses one methodolo gy agents of GlobalizationIt is now led by regular armyProbably nothing has become as disputed a subject as the impact of Colonialism on Africa among scholars of history and political science. Scholars much(prenominal) as Gann, Duignan, Perham and PC Lloyd see colonialism and neocolonialism as a favourable reception rather than a curse while other scholars such as Kwame Nkrumah, Che Guevara, Walter Rodney, MHY Kaniki A.E. Afigbo, A. Adu, Boahen, Ali Mazrai etc. sees it as a curse rather than a good will. To buttress this further Che Guevaras says.As long as imperialism exists it will by exposition exert its domination over other countries. Today that domination is called neocolonialism.Che Guevara, red revolutionary 1965In view of this, the impact of Neo-colonialism indeed is not a lesser task to assess particularly from social, economic and political perspectives in Nigeria. To be frank, though there were positive effects but either greater were the negative ones.Below i s my assessment of the impact of neocolonialism on the social, economic and political flavour of Nigeria.(A) AN ASSESSMENT SOCIAL-CULTURAL IMPACT OF NEO-COLONIALISM IN NIGERIA(1) Provision of a lingua franca.This is a positive impact of Neo-colonialism in Nigeria. The provision of a lingua franca (official language) for Nigeria can now be seen as a blessing repayable to the marriage of inconvenience which brought the numerous linguistic groups that constitutes the country to substantially adopt a neutral language. Neo-colonialism through globalization has further unify the use of English language as the business and official language not only Nigeria but across the Anglophone countries.(2) Cultural DominanceAccording to Ali-Mazrui African are not necessarily the most brutalized of peoples, but they are almost certainly the most humiliated.Using the agents of a globalization e.g. the caboodle Media, Internet Western Movies etc. Nigerian culture like other African countries is ev idently being subjugated and dominated by the Hesperian sandwich culture. Many Nigerians today seem to have imbibed the European way of life at the expense of our rich African culture (colonial mentality). This is gradually leading to a loss of cultural identity.(3) Western EducationThis is an indispensable effect that Neo-colonialism has also used as a tool for Nigerian around-the-clock reliance on the west for inadequate, lopsided and wrongly oriented direction which was bequeathed by colonialism and consolidated by Neo-colonialism. This is evident from the fact that our acquisition of western upbringing has helped in a neglect of technological and industrial education rather than that of a technological advancement.(4) Environment DegradationOil spillages due to the exploitation of oil by some multinational companies such as Shell, Exxon Mobil etc. has to a large extent polluted Nigerias water and attain resources particularly in the oil producing areas of the Niger Delta. C onsequently this has affected the eco-system, the habitat and the cultural occupation of the people of that area.(B) AN ASSESSMENT OF ECONOMIC IMPACT OF NEO-COLONIALISM IN NIGERIApositively Nigeria as a country has benefiting economically from Neo-colonialism. However the negative economic impacts seem to outweigh the positive impacts. One out of the negative economic impacts includes(1) Economic DependencyInternational Organizations accused of participating in neo-colonialism are the creation Bank, World Trade Organizations, the Group of Eight the Paris Club, the World economic forum, IMF etc. have been used by the first world countries to subject Nigeria into some structural adjustments which will increase rather than quench poverty . These Organizations are neocolonial agents used to ensure a perpetual economic failure and dependence of Nigeria as evident in the high footstep of underdevelopment, poverty, debt burden etc. which has characterized our economy.(2) Economic Subjug ation by Multi-national CorporationsCritics of neocolonialism has also argued that coronation by multinational corporations enriches few in under-developed countries and causes humanitarian, environmental and ecological end to the population which inhabits the colonies. These corporations such as Shell, Exxon Mobil etc. are responsible for a continuous flow of natural resources (oil) which unduly benefits the neo-colonial states.(3) Economic Brain expireToday modern slavery exists through visa lotteries used to siphon not only Nigerias but ultimately the human resources of the developing countries. This is an economic brain drain strategy to subject the trinity world into a continuous technological hostage.(C) AN ASSESSMENT OF THE POLITICAL IMPACTS OF NEO-COLONIALISM IN NIGERIA(1) Consolidation of country in NigeriaThough Nigerias political history has been characterized by the Military versus the Civilians. lately democracy seems to have been fully entrenched in Nigeria throu gh neo-colonial agent, such as the U.N. and other similar organizations.(2) Political DependencyNigerias membership of the join Nations and the Commonwealth which sit joined immediately after Independence provided reasons wherefore we have always been politically dependent on neo-colonial states like the USA and Britain. Consequently, Nigeria membership Pan-African Movement like, NEPAD, the Non-Aligned Movements, the African Union, the ECOWAS have not liberated as from this unending political grip of dependency.(3) Political Instability and Regime transferApparently, government either Military or Civilian which poses no scourge to the neo-colonial states in Nigeria seem to last longer than the unfriendly ones. In my opinion, no other reason can be tendered as why the Murtala septet Months Regime (July 1975 February 1976) and the Buhari regime (December 1983 August 1985) were very short lived. Nigerian leading who refuse to be stooges or puppets of the neo-colonial powers are usually forcefully removed.(4) difference of Independence and SovereigntyNeo-colonialism, as a continuation of colonialism have of line of descent eroded the independence or sovereignty which Nigeria like many third world countries claimed to have gotten.(5) New ColonialismFinally, neo-colonialism is the tool which has helped the neo-colonial states to continue the colonial process which started around 1880 and obstructed by decolonization or Independence of Nigeria in 1960In conclusion, whatever colonialism and neo-colonialism did or is doing for Africans in Africa or Nigeria, given its opportunities, it resources and the power and influence it is wielding till date it could and should have done far more than it has done. It is precisely because the neo-colonial states not only did not see the development of Africans as their first priority but did not see it as a priority at all that they stand criticized. The continuous existence of the tools of neo-colonialism therefore pose s an existential threat to the development of Nigeria and Africa.