“Colonialism would, both men believed, end the isolation of the colonies and break down cultural walls of superstition and tradition. Indeed Engels (Avineri, 1968, 43) characterized the French conquest of Algeria as “a… fortunate fact for the progress of civilization”. But Marx and Engels were also very clear about the horrible destruction caused by European colonialism (1). First; they recognized colonialism in general, and the so-called “scramble for Africa”, in particular, as the world expansion of capitalist exploitation and the rule of profit (Engels, 1978, 54-58). They realized that one effect of colonialism on the colonies would be to expropriate land from the masses. They knew that colonialism would decimate local industries Marx, 1979, 93-94). Commenting on British rule in India Marx (1979, 126) wrote that “England has broken the entire framework of Indian society” and ended the village economic system. Along with a relatively small group of commentators Marx and Engels consistently decried the horrid brutality of colonial rule and continually criticized the foreign policy decisions of officials such as Lord Palmerston. They were careful to include in their analysis of colonialism descriptions of “the profound hypocrisy and inherent barbarism of bourgeois civilization”, which “lies unveiled before our eyes in the colonies” (cited in Pieterse, 1992, 100). Marx and Engels of course realized that – the “white man’s burden” aside – colonialism was an economic process. (…)” (pag 198-199) [Thomas Meisenhelder, Marx, Engels, and Africa’, Science & Society, n. 2 Summer 1985] [(1) In his introduction to ‘Pre-Capitalist Economic Formations’, Hobsbawm (1965, 50) argues that this insight was especially salient for the “elder” Marx]
- Categoria dell'articolo:Nuove Accessioni
- Articolo pubblicato:28 Febbraio 2020