colonialism, or the enslavement of peoples, was one of the greatest disasters to affect many nations. many countries, along with their people and natural resources, were exploited, sometimes for hundreds of years.
the concept of colonialism has now changed from its old form into new and often more dangerous forms.
traditional invasions involved the occupation and dismantling of colonized states, direct rule, subjugation of the people, confiscation of lands, erasure of cultures, and the imposition of foreign languages, religions, and customs. these acts caused immense suffering and often resulted in genocide, as seen in namibia under german rule, in china under japanese occupation, and in kenya with the systematic torture and repression of the mau mau by the british. similar massacres occurred in south africa at the hands of white colonizers, and millions died in bengal during the 1943 famine after the british seized farmland. britain also played a criminal role in the partition of pakistan from india, displacing 10 million people and causing the deaths of another million due to sectarian violence.
colonizers also played a cruel role in the slave trade, forcibly transporting millions of africans to work on cotton and sugar plantations in america. this left deep scars and lasting psychological effects on hundreds of millions of people, many of which are still visible today.
claims that colonialism built infrastructure and institutions were largely self-serving, benefiting the colonizers while facilitating the exploitation of local resources. colonialism created artificial states across africa, the middle east, southeast asia, and the balkans, with corrupt authorities, weak administrations, collapsed economies, and the deliberate use of “divide and rule” policies.
colonialism sparked ethnic, religious, and tribal conflicts that continue to this day. for over a century, france sought to make algeria entirely french, erasing its culture, imposing its language, and killing hundreds of thousands of algerians who resisted to defend their independence.
most colonial powers also destroyed the environments of the countries they occupied, destroying biodiversity, polluting soil and water, and carrying out dangerous experiments on local ecosystems.
it is both absurd and offensive for anyone to call for a reconsideration of our negative view of colonialism when even european intellectuals and activists condemn the atrocities of this history.
the governments of several colonial powers have acknowledged and condemned their brutal actions in their former colonies, apologizing for the heinous crimes they committed. some countries with a colonial past have even pledged reparations to the peoples of their former colonies and the return of looted antiquities and cultural heritage, reflecting their shame for these past actions.
however, some descendants of colonial victims express nostalgia for that era, a view similar to certain attitudes toward israel’s occupation of palestine.
regarding the british presence in the gulf, it is both absurd and naive to claim that the british arrived when the region was poor and left it rich. while britain did arrive during a difficult period, by the time it withdrew in the 1970s, most countries in the region remained impoverished.
the british did not come to the region out of love for its people, but because of its strategic importance. it was intended to curb ottoman turkish influence, secure their route to india, and prevent the spread of communism to the “warm waters of the gulf.”
when the british eventually left, they did so without facing violent resistance. their departure was voluntary, driven by the realization that the cost of staying outweighed the benefits, while they continued to maintain influence through other means.