Imperialism 101: A necessary evil?

First and foremost, I just wanted to say that I did not like this article much at all. Yes, it was instructive in the sense that I learned where the word "slave" came from. No really, I didn't know that slave came from the Slavs that toiled over the land Charlemagne ruled over.

<-----See Charlemagne helping little kids. Medieval PR?!?

Okay, so I decided to go against the grain on this one. And since I am going to write what my mind thinks, and not what will get me a grade, I am going to say that I am FOR imperialization, or at least some forms of it. Let me kind of reflect over those thoughts.

I think imperialism is good, otherwise we'd still be hunters and gatherers, we would not share technological secrets or have capital to undertake massive projects.

Imperialism was necessary to get to where we are today. Now I won't say that the Holocaust was necessary, or that Russian Gulags helped us become industrialized. No, I think those are atrocious acts by evil men. Although I do say that empires needed to expand, gather resources and enrich themselves to accomplish their lofty goals. Without greed, the de Medici family would never have become patrons of the arts, and funded artists with masterpieces such as Michelangelo and Raphael.

The alluded to the Natives having social customs that were "more gracious and humane" and that they were more happy and peaceful. Was he there when the Mayans and Aztecs grew their civilizations in South America? They were some of the most cutthroat and aggressive civilization to have lived. Had we given them guns, armour, and ships that could sail oceans, they might have done the same thing.

the first thing that crawled when I Googled Aztecs--------->


Oh and that comment he said, "they need to be given back their land and labour so that they might work for themselves and grow food for their own consumption". Okay, well we will take out all the infrastructure that Britain put up in India, and then let them fend for themselves. Look at what happened to Guinea when France gave them independence.

And the author is saying that the companies in North America, Europe and Japan are reaping all the third world profits. Hold on a minute, Japan was on the verge of becoming a third world and backwards country with samurai swords and their bushido code. But they worked relentlessly and worked together to become industrialized.

Countries might have become more industrialized than others, and those countries' time will come. And in 2008 and beyond, countries need and WILL be industrialized in a Sustainable way.

I don't want to make enemies, and in 250 words I feel like this post is all over the place and rantish, but that is my opinion. I don't think we would be here today without some form of imperialism or capitalist imperialism. And if you think imperialism is the worst thing ever, and it should have never occurred, let me hand you a hoe and and an ox and you can go till your own land, trade for your goods, and make your own clothing.