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How would you describe the complicated legacy of colonialism? Have you seen its effects on local cultures in your region or country?
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Colonialism by European powers in Asia, mainly for profit, had both good and bad effects. On the positive side, colonizers-built infrastructure like railways, roads, and ports and introduced modern education and healthcare, which improved literacy and public health. They also set up legal and administrative systems and invested in industries like tea plantations in India and mining in Malaysia, creating jobs and boosting local economies.
However, the negative effects were much greater. Colonizers exploited resources for their own benefit, causing economic dependency and underdevelopment in the colonies. They disrupted local cultures by imposing their own values, languages, and religions. Political repression and violence were common, and colonial rule often involved force, leaving lasting psychological impacts, including feelings of inferiority. Overall, while colonialism brought some improvements, its legacy is mainly one of exploitation, cultural disruption, and ongoing socio-economic problems. These impacts are still evident in many Asian countries today.
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In the world we live in today there are many underdeveloped nations which are being governed and/or controlled by larger entities. No matter how you look at such a situation, the responsibility of such endeavors results in massive calamity for the underdeveloped nation as well as the ruling parties. Economic debt can become extremely overbearing resulting in national bankruptcy. If there is any kind of belief system, it can suffer abuse under the larger controlling government because of the demand for national allegiance and commitment. In the past the country I have lived in was known as the land of the free and the home of the brave, a country made up of individuals migrating from all parts of the world. About thirty-five years ago we had control of our endeavors but today pestilence, disease, hunger, mass killing, financial economical break- downs, and wars threaten this great nation every day. Why is it so much harder to control politically today? One reasoning is that of our belief system, this nation does not value the good God today, the god in control is a materialistic god. This god only recognizes gain, wealth, and power, yet there are still very small colonies of Christians all over the world still living and praying for the good of all mankind.
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As pointed out in this lesson, colonisation did have the benefit of technological advances and education. However, we have also witnessed the exploitation of some of the indigenous people by commercial traders and political entities. Additionally, some of the indigenous cultures had there dignity denied them in that they were considered ‘lesser than’ in all areas of life by many. The true missionaries with a heart for God differed with these assertions. The missionaries often lived amongst the indigenous people. They learned their languages as well as their customs. Unfortunately, many cultures were lost to some of the missionaries insistence on the Westernisation of the peoples. I have seen this in some of the Pacific islands. I have also seen small villages with several denominations of modern church buildings lining their narrow streets. I wonder if some of the missionaries preached the Christianity of God and the gospels or their own “brand” of Christian beliefs.
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The actual reality of colonialism is the disdain of indigenous peoples as inferior, and not fully human. This is shamefully documented into our constitution in the US. While many missionaries were true believers wanting to spread the word of Christ to the world, the manner in which the traders and governmental agencies administered this colonization produced so much hatred as to alienate cultures from Christianity. The damage done still lives on today as the Catholic Church is dealing with the forced housing and schooling of indigenous American peoples.
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Colonialism is complicated. While it appeared to “spread” the Gospel worldwide (when colonizing new lands) but mainly only reached the coastal regions. They interior of the new lands were reached much later. Additionally, these newly colonized areas were complicated to evangelize. There were a great number of new peoples, cultures, and languages that had to be navigated in order to truly bring the Good News to the new world. The United States was no exception. The native tribes of Indians were first brought to a knowledge of Christ on the eastern coast and then missionaries spread inward and to the west. My country was founded on the premise of religious freedom, so long as the religion was their own sort. Natives were considered savage and thought to need reforming. Numerous religious sects came here in search of freedom of worship. This is part of what make the United States such a unique melting pot of greatly varied people and religious beliefs.