Why have Europeans oppressed non-Europeans for the past five centuries? (ancient, Romans)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Since 1492, Europeans and people of European descent have enslaved, wiped out, and oppressed Africans, Asians, and Native Americans. Millions of Native Americans were killed by diseases spread by Columbus and his crew. Europeans enslaved Africans for two centuries and still mistreated them for another century after slavery was abolished. Europe set up colonies in Africa and Asia, controlling their daily lives. They have been responsible for quite a few genocides; the genocide of Native Americans and the Holocaust come to mind. What caused all of this? What causes one group of humans to mistreat other groups of humans for such a long period of time?
I asked my African friend this very question. I wondered why Europeans were able to colonize the majority of the African continent. he said "They had the guns, and we did not." It was as simple as that.
I think the Europe vs. everyone else angle is often overplayed. Most European conquests have, in fact, been directed at other Europeans; and non-Europeans have routinely engaged in oppressive actions against others within their geographical spheres.
That said, a nation needs to possess economic and/or military superiority over another nation in order to conquer that nation. They also need to actively seek to extend their influence beyond their own borders. Going back to the ancient Romans, many European nations have historically invested their resources in military and exploratory endeavors.
Makes sense but it might be more complicated than that.
True, money, power, land expansion, and superiority complexes play a significant part in the oppression of others. I think my friend meant that at the end of the day, Europeans used weapons to seize land.
I think the Europe vs. everyone else angle is often overplayed. Most European conquests have, in fact, been directed at other Europeans; and non-Europeans have routinely engaged in oppressive actions against others within their geographical spheres.
That said, a nation needs to possess economic and/or military superiority over another nation in order to conquer that nation. They also need to actively seek to extend their influence beyond their own borders. Going back to the ancient Romans, many European nations have historically invested their resources in military and exploratory endeavors.
Europeans were able to conquer non-Europeans on such a massive, and far reaching scale in basically 500 years. I will agree that non-Europeans have caused plenty of misery as well. The Rwandan Genocide is an expample of that. I also agree that Europeans caused each other misery. The Nazi Regime is proof of that.
The OP implies, but does not state, that the oppression of the last five centuries was at the hands of Europeans only. The Rwandan genocide has already been mentioned, but even going back much earlier, there were some Africans who sold others into slavery, and there were some native American tribes which brutally dominated and oppressed other tribes. Over time, Rwanda excepted, the scale, especially geographically, of European oppression of others was greater.
An exception would be the vicious and murderous oppression of other Asians by Imperial Japan in the first half of the 20th century. Just ask the Chinese, the Koreans, the Indonesians, the Filipinos, or the Burmese about that. The oppression of Asians by European countries was like a Kindergarten picnic compared with that of their Japanese colonial masters. Enormous bitterness about it persists to this day.
Since 1492, Europeans and people of European descent have enslaved, wiped out, and oppressed Africans, Asians, and Native Americans. Millions of Native Americans were killed by diseases spread by Columbus and his crew. Europeans enslaved Africans for two centuries and still mistreated them for another century after slavery was abolished. Europe set up colonies in Africa and Asia, controlling their daily lives. They have been responsible for quite a few genocides; the genocide of Native Americans and the Holocaust come to mind. What caused all of this? What causes one group of humans to mistreat other groups of humans for such a long period of time?
This is really a nonsensical question, given the history of genocide outside the Eurosphere before Columbus or DeGama ever set sail. Aztecs and Incas subjugated others, Native Americans committed their own genocide, the Zulus conquered every tribe they encountered, the Arabs committed atrocity after atrocity before Tamberlane swept into the Fertile Crescent, and even the Maoris wiped out the Chatham Islanders upon discovering their existence. So to sit here and say that Europeans is somehow unique completely ignores history.
In fact, I would offer that European civilization, while more efficient in killing, also became the agent of a more humane and civilized world. Europeans ended the slave trade, ended lots of tribal warfare, introduced the rule of law and a host of other social innovations that made the world a safer place to live.
Since 1492, Europeans and people of European descent have enslaved, wiped out, and oppressed Africans, Asians, and Native Americans. Millions of Native Americans were killed by diseases spread by Columbus and his crew. Europeans enslaved Africans for two centuries and still mistreated them for another century after slavery was abolished. Europe set up colonies in Africa and Asia, controlling their daily lives. They have been responsible for quite a few genocides; the genocide of Native Americans and the Holocaust come to mind. What caused all of this? What causes one group of humans to mistreat other groups of humans for such a long period of time?
Another interesting question would be: why have tribalism and corruption flourished for so long in Africa at the expense of science, technology, invention, public health, business, education, and economic development?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Issues of scale, and the Japanese example
