Imperialism

Wolf · 03-16-2007, 06:38 PM

Does imperialism benefit foreign countries?

Is imperialism another form of being racist?

**Jocasta** · 03-17-2007, 02:27 AM

Politics forum?

Wolf · 03-17-2007, 02:32 AM

My bad, no offense to the politics board, but whatever generates more comments... politics has more interesting posts though.

Captain Beefheart · 03-17-2007, 08:17 PM

Imperialism can happen through culture, military/economical power, foreign aid/debt etc. It seems to me that, for better or for worse, capitalism is largely responsible for the growing trend towards globalization. On the one hand, we have the romantic notion that all people, regardless of race or creed, are given equal opportunity in a free-market society.

On the other hand, the capitalist machinery is the most capable when it comes to exploiting new and different cultures. This is where the lack of symmetry comes into play. When one culture is exposed to another, there is always some system of power relationships involved. Those relationships are never equal, and the dominant culture (institutionally, ideologically, economically) will undergo the least amount of change.

There really is no essential difference between the West and the Roman Empire in this way. The Roman Empire forced people to accept new and foreign elements, but still couldn't get rid of each area's characteristics and in the end collapsed.

03-16-2007, 06:38 PM	#1 (permalink)
Wolf The Elder Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 4,147 My Profile	Imperialism *Does imperialism benefit foreign countries?* Is imperialism another form of being racist?

03-17-2007, 02:32 AM	#3 (permalink)
Wolf The Elder Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 4,147 My Profile	My bad, no offense to the politics board, but whatever generates more comments... politics has more interesting posts though. Last edited by Wolf : 03-17-2007 at 02:33 AM.

03-17-2007, 02:27 AM	#2 (permalink)
Jocasta Love Charlie Babbitt Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Shaftesbury Avenue Posts: 18,565 My Profile	Politics forum?

03-17-2007, 08:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
Captain Beefheart Mu nótahu Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: In a West End town, a dead end world Posts: 4,070 My Profile	Imperialism can happen through culture, military/economical power, foreign aid/debt etc. It seems to me that, for better or for worse, capitalism is largely responsible for the growing trend towards globalization. On the one hand, we have the romantic notion that all people, regardless of race or creed, are given equal opportunity in a free-market society. On the other hand, the capitalist machinery is the most capable when it comes to exploiting new and different cultures. This is where the lack of symmetry comes into play. When one culture is exposed to another, there is always some system of power relationships involved. Those relationships are never equal, and the dominant culture (institutionally, ideologically, economically) will undergo the least amount of change. There really is no essential difference between the West and the Roman Empire in this way. The Roman Empire forced people to accept new and foreign elements, but still couldn't get rid of each area's characteristics and in the end collapsed.

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