Western culture
Western culture is known as the universe of values, customs, practices, traditions, religious beliefs, economic system, and political-social organization representative of Western America and Western Europe, either because they originated there or because they were assumed as their own. The names of western society, western civilization, European civilization, and Christian civilization are also used with the same meaning (Raffino). By extension, those countries where Western Europe established its hegemony and inherited its languages, socio-political ordering system, religion, a system of law, educational model, values and customs are considered part of western culture or westernized countries (Uriarte) This paper will focus on the topic of Western society and the specific event of colonization. The paper will examine the cultural, economic, and political implications of colonization in the American society. According to Uriarte, the set of characteristics that are considered distinctive of Western culture include the following:
- Permanent reference to the culture of Greek antiquity, with an emphasis on rational thought (philosophy, literature, science, politics, and art).
- Civil-military and administrative heritage of the Roman Empire, with emphasis on Roman law. Christian religion (Catholic and Protestant)
- The set of values and customs contributed by Celts, Germans, and Slavs.
- The claim of universality in the name of the cultural heritage.
- The modern development of the national state and capitalism (a phenomenon that occurred in the last two centuries).
Based on the inheritance it received, western culture reworked the system of social, cultural, and political order into the forms we know today, of which the contradictions are also part. Thus, it reshapes the concept of democracy, education (Western culture develops the concept of university), scientific research as well as the concept of the modern state (based on Roman law), among many other aspects.
Background of Western Culture
The origins of western culture began with the Greeks, who discovered the habit of deductive reasoning and the science of geometry. Its remaining merits were not distinctive or were lost in the Dark Ages (Raffino). In art and literature, they may have been insurmountable, but they did not distinguish themselves very deeply from various other ancient nations. In experimental science, they produced some men, especially Archimedes, who anticipated modern methods; but such figures failed to establish a school or tradition. The only outstanding, distinctive contributions of the Greeks to Western society were deductive reasoning and pure mathematics.
The Greeks were, however, politically incompetent, and their contribution to society would probably have been lost, had it not been for the ability of the Romans to govern. The Romans found a way to carry out the government of a great empire through civil administration and a legal body. In the previous empires, everything had depended on the energy of the monarch. Still, in the Roman Empire, the emperor could be assassinated by the Praetorian Guard, and the Empire put up for auction with the very little nuisance in the government machine – as rare, in fact, as the now producing a general election (Raffino). It seems that the Romans invented the virtue of devotion to the impersonal state as opposed to personal loyalty to the boss. The Greeks, it is true, spoke of patriotism, but their politicians were corrupted, and almost all of them, at some point in their careers, accepted the bribe of Persia. The Roman concept of devotion to the state has been an essential element in the production of stable governments in the West. (Raffino)
Cultural Implications of Colonization
Western civilization brought many changes in terms of technology and innovation. One of the defining features of western civilization was the progress in science, giving rise to geographical exploration. Geographical exploration through sea routes led to the discovery of many societies across the world. In American society, when the settler came, the natives had their own cultural, economic, and political setup. When the European moved from exploration to colonization with their western civilization, they brought various changes to almost every aspect of the native people, including their land.
Western civilization caused some cultural implications in their colonies. Some of the cultural changes included the introduction of Christianity, formal education, a new form of government, and new conduct of life (Arowolo). Culturally, colonization brought many changes to Indian cultural life. Europeans began pressing higher demands on the natives, often forcing them for assimilation, such as converting to Christianity. Apart from the process of conversion, the flow of European goods and items started influencing the native Indians. Native people started adopting the use of items such as metal utensils, copper kettles, and glass beads.
According to Ahluwalia, western civilization introduced a new role for women in society in most societies. Women gained the perception of them being seen as individuals who could achieve just as much as men. Western civilization introduced formal education and Christianity. The colonizers introduced schools and churches in the communities. Thirdly, western colonization led to changes in the political system of their colonies. Before they were colonized, most of these regions were kingdom-based regions. Kings and emperors governed these regions. However, colonization introduced new political systems, with most countries shifting to democracy (Ziltener and Künzler). After the kings and emperors were defeated, and after decolonization, most of these nations opted for new political systems that were characterized by democracy.
Other societies also were influenced by colonization. The native people, Africans, and Asians learned a lot from western civilization. For example, Africans were introduced to Christianity by Europeans. Also, they learned modern medicine, technology, democracy, and new systems of education by interacting with the Europeans. These changes changed their cultures. Western society was greatly influenced by the new world. For example, tobacco was unknown to the Europeans until 1492 (Ziltener and Künzler). Once they learned of tobacco, Europeans carried the culture of smoking across the Atlantic. Also, by interacting with the Aztecs, Europeans learned of chocolate made from cacao seeds. This introduced the Europeans to the ideas of chocolate and vanilla flavors as the natives used them during marriage ceremonies.
Arowolo also maintains that Western civilization introduced a new role for women, which were not entrusted to them before. The formal education and Christianity introduced to the Africans during colonization influenced their way of life. As a result, some cultural activities in Africa were abolished and reduced. Some of these practices included female genital mutilation and early marriages. The majority of the African communities also turned to Christianity and did away with their previous religions (Arowolo, 2014). In western society, colonization brought about a change in the dominant community. Originally, the native Indians were the inhabitants of North America. However, colonization introduced a new group in the region, which became the majority group.
Many postcolonial countries have cultural attributes that indicate the impact of colonization. It is usually seen in the formal language they adopt and other cultural practices. While European colonialism was aimed at acquiring colonized countries either fully or partially, they try to rework and change many of the existing cultural institutions in their colonies. In their effort to take control of the colonies, they practiced trading of goods. In India, the British brought many changes to the existing culture of Indian society. For example, they changed the practice of Sati (burning of the widow) and brought out many reformations to the existing ill practices of the caste system (Arowolo). While most colonizers benefited from trade of goods found in colonies, they worked towards educating the people of their colonies. Many colonized continents such as Africa, India, and countries in South-East Asia received western education. India and many African countries adopted the language of their colonizers as their formal language. The presence of Christian religion in most of the formerly colonized countries can be attributed to the effort carried out by colonizers.
With the Renaissance, in European society, some suggested the sphericity of the Earth. The proliferation of merchants caused the proliferation of exaggerated legends and chronicles (trips of Marco Polo, the legend of Preste Juan), which caused great interest in the unknown in the Europe of the time, along with the adventurous spirit towards the Far East (Arowolo).
Political Implications of Colonization
Politically, colonization brought the institution of slavery. The Europeans required to meet a huge demand for labor to reap the benefit of New World cash crops, and for this, they relied on labor from Africa. Many companies started the transportation of slaves from Africa across the Atlantic Ocean. For instance, one of the tiny English sugar lands of Barbados came to be populated by around fifty thousand slaves and made slavery a part of colonial law (Herrin and Richard). The civilization that resulted from colonization got linked to the political power by the European countries that dominated the economy of the world. The colonization of the western countries inculcated the European’s politics to modernize the African countries.
African countries changed politically after the colonial period. There was the introduction of direct and indirect rule. There was the introduction of indirect rule government in Western countries where members of the society were represented in the central government (Herrin and Richard). In other countries, there was the adoption of the direct government, depending on the European country that colonized such a country.
The most visible significant consequence that colonialism brought was the miscegenation in America. There was an establishment of a common foreign policy by the Kings. This was manifested by the marital ties with the different royal families of Europe. Due to this, Habsburg hegemony resulted in Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. On the other hand, the discovery of America from 1492 profoundly modified history (Herrin and Richard).
The Age of colonialism and imperialism, which began in the 15th century, marked the transition in the structure of European polity. Around the 15th century, the Papacy, which was the symbol of Christendom, loses power due to the Great Schism movement and the Protestant reformation in the 16th century (Herrin and Richard). The Protestant reformation called out the corruption inside the Roman Catholic church, which the latter responded through Counter-reformation efforts.
The formation of new nation-states emerged under the authority of powerful monarchial governments. The Age of colonialism broke down local communities and destroyed the unity of the European “Res publica Christiana.” The medieval government was replaced by a centralized bureaucracy (Herrin and Richard). Secular values grew to support, and the principle of balance of power dominated the international sphere. Most European nations used new methods of diplomacy and warfare. Intermediary embassies were placed between sovereigns. On the battlefield, armies of professional soldiers took the place of the feudal array that was used in the past. There was an expansion of territories overseas, which reflected the political nationalism of European states.
Colonization had a positive impact on Western civilization as it boosted their morale and ideologies with how to relate with other cultures and communities. The Western and other civilizations impacted most of its colonies by introducing new forms of governance and changing the native leadership bureaucracies. Politically, colonizers were able to take control of other territories (Grosfoguel). The leadership installed in the territories ensured that natural resources and investment only benefited the colonists. The workforce in the regions was changed to slavery affecting urbanization, capitalism, and causing degradation of natural resources (Grosfoguel). With such powers, the Western colonies could introduce diseases to livestock and humans as a political strategy (Grosfoguel). Most of the social systems were affected, but to some, technological advancement and literacy were created.
“Political causes” would encompass many motives and situations. In 1871 France was defeated by Prussia in the so-called Franco-Prussian war. There was a feeling of humiliation, and the government of the Third Republic encouraged colonial expansion. Some of the political causes were, therefore, to make themselves seen as an international power developing imperialism. They also intended to obtain Nationalism; colonialism allows French citizens to think that they belong to a great country. The strategy also formed one of their motives since conquering certain strategic points would allow them to have naval bases in different parts of the planet that, in case of war, could always be used. However, it must be understood that these “political motives” were mixed with other economic ones.
Economic Implications of Colonization
In terms of the economy, the new agriculture practices, which were quite intensive, made the production of cash crops a viable option in America. The slave labor, along with some natives, enabled the production of the crops that changed the economic activities of the region. Much of the agriculture practices became commercialized from subsistence farming. Trading of those products became a major feature of the economy.
Western civilization has a history of colonization (imperialism). For example, North America has a history of this – with the Spanish, Pilgrims, and Vikings coming to this land to explore and settle. South and Central America were imperialized by the Spanish. Often, these countries were used for economic exploitation (mercantilism was used by the British king) (Herrin and Richard). Mercantilism is when a country uses another for economic exploitation through imports and taxes. This brings money back to the motherland, and this made North, South, and Central America spring up.
Due to colonization, Africa resources were confiscated by the European countries who exercised authority over Africa colonies. Colonization resulted in a dual economic structure within the African countries where the supreme economy was run by the colonists. According to Herrin and Richard, the economy declined during colonization due to a reduction in the product, which reduced since their lands were taken away by the colonies. Ideally, Africa could not participate in trade during colonization since they were under rule and were limited by colonies in their movements and established trade routes, commodities, and allies were disestablished. The colonies also shifted to an agrarian economy due to forced labor.
This brought about many economic changes. For instance, Britain accumulated immense resources from the colonies; therefore, Britain’s economy grew steadily. As a result of slavery, there was available cheap labor for the Britain farmers from the colonies; therefore, Britain’s society had large produce for commodities. Moreover, Britain shipped large quantities of commodities from Africa since no one held them accountable, and they had the strength to exercise jurisdiction in these colonies. The major economic implication of colonialism is the development of the different sectors of society in the colony. The colonizer’s main objective in colonizing is to expand its territory and utilize the colony’s resources. To achieve such objective, the colonizer will have to develop the basic sectors of society like education, health, infrastructure, agriculture, science and technology, research, labor, tourism, military, and others (Herrin and Richard). An economy cannot be expected to boom without considering the sectors that compose it.
Europeans used their Eurocentric biases and the excuse of evangelizing non-Christian peoples almost continuously from the discovery of America to the colonization of Indochina. The religious proselytizing that has always been present in the European worldview helped justify and protect the use of the military-technological advantage that Europe obtained due to its access to resources and the history of internal wars on the continent.
Furthermore, because of their close contact with Eurasia and Africa, Europeans became resistant to certain pandemics, against which other more isolated peoples (American Indians and Polynesians) were not so resistant. Much of the demographic decline in America after the arrival of the first Europeans was due to pandemic diseases to which the American peoples had not previously been exposed. The large-scale slave trade that Europeans, North Africans, and Muslims had practiced for centuries was a part of the colonial mode of production that Europeans used to exploit resources through labor even in regions where population density previously would not have allowed intensive use, having had no slaves (Herrin and Richard).
Colonialism also necessitated the emergence of mercantilism, as well as the need to find an alternative route for the spice and silk trade, originating from the “spice islands,” the Moluccas. This route had been blocked by the Turks with the capture of Constantinople in 1453, fully controlling the Silk Road, both inland and the sea route.
Conclusion
In conclusion, some of the changes brought about by colonialism is cultural diversity, the free flow in trade, expanded connectivity between different races, shift on political ideologies, and rapid transfer of information. The change in culture can be witnessed even in the present world where people associate themselves with the values of western culture. People from most parts of the world associate themselves with modern pop culture and highly industrialized places like the USA and France. The political implication of colonialism was the introduction of democracy and modern forms of governance. Democracy is the most widely spread form of governance across the globe. Colonialism introduced modern architecture and various sports to Africa and other countries such as the US, which were originally manifested in Ancient Greece and Europe. It is believed that colonization introduced aspects such as modern thinking, democracy, current laws, and structures in society, capitalistic cultures, globalization, and promoted the acceptance of cultures and immigration.
Works Cited
Ahluwalia, Pal. Politics and postcolonial theory: African inflections. Routledge, 2012.
Arowolo, Dare. “The effects of western civilisation and culture on Africa.” Afro Asian Journal of Social Sciences 1.1 (2010): 1-13.
Grosfoguel, Ramón. “Decolonizing postcolonial studies and paradigms of political-economy: Transmodernity, decolonial thinking, and global coloniality.” Transmodernity: journal of the peripheral cultural production of the luso-hispanic world 1.1 (2011).
Herrin, Judith Eleanor, and Richard J. Mayne. “Politics and Diplomacy.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 4 Feb. 2020, www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Europe/Politics-and-diplomacy.
Ziltener, Patrick, and Daniel Künzler. “Impacts of colonialism—a research survey.” Journal of World-Systems Research 19.2 (2013): 290-311.