I found it ironic that we are reading this around the time
where normally if I were in the states, we would be preparing for Thanksgiving.
Yes, in the states, Thanksgiving takes place in November on a Thursday….not on
a Monday. Anyway, this is the time where once a year people all across the US
gather together with family and friends to celebrate the day that the Native
Americans and English had their first meal. Or so we are taught when we are
little. But then what happened after? Oh I remember, we took their land, we
infected them with diseases, we tried to convert their faith, and we wiped out
most of them or ran them off….Yes, not so peachy keen after all. I believe
Loomba would agree that at first, there was colonization and then it changed
into imperialism. The English wanted total control and all the wealth they
could get from the land. Were they acting in the interest of the majority at
the time….it depends on who you call the majority. Technically the Native Americans
were the majority on the land but for the English, they themselves were in
control and had the means to gain control.
Of course, it didn’t stop there. As the years went on, we
were then introduced to slavery and further obsession over control leading to
years of hardship and injustice. So where does it really end? Because it seems
to me that colonialism has indeed led to imperialism, which is now intertwined
with capitalism. Capitalism is now driving our countries into a race for the “best”,
a race to sell the most goods, and a race to make the most profit. But let’s
not forget that this race comes at a price. In a race there are winners and
losers. The “losers” so to speak seem to be those countries running on billions
of dollars in debt. Or are they? Although they are borrowing money from other
countries some of them, like the US, continue to be seen as a powerhouse. So
what’s behind all of this? Who is really in power?
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog post - I thought it was very interesting and that your brought up many good points. I especially liked your discussion of minority vs. majority and the ending question "Who is really in power?". This is a very pertinent question, and I think especially at the present time (for the precise questions that you posed about national debt, etc.) we are experiencing a moment of financial crisis in the United States and other countries, and I think the whole capitalist system is in a moment of crisis as well. I think only time will tell, but I think we are starting to sense a shift in the world as we know it.