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Quote by: Dagda  There seems to be a misconception among some that the old British Empire(and, indeed the French, Spanish or even American one) created in its colonies some good. This is idiotic. Not only did many come under Imperial sway by armed conflict(never good) they raped the local resources and destroyed local culture. Even after the colonials left, they left basketcase economies. No-where do I see benefits of Imperialism that outweigh the down side.
That is why I think an Empire can never be a force of good. |
Why the Euro-American guilt here? History is chock full of Empires. The Egyptian Empire, The Roman Empire, The Ottoman Empire, The Aztec Empire, The Mayan Empire, The Inca Empire... etc. Why are you focused on the most recent examples to make your point?
Yes... each one has caused considerable damage to local resources and culture but on the other hand we may not be as advanced (if you call this advanced) or as connected as we are now without it.
The fact is that whether you are human, chimpanzee or even the apparently lowly ant... Building an "Empire" seems to be an evolutionary fact of civilization. In this I agree with Anmon. Sorry Anmon... not to say you believe in evolution of any sort.