This blog post examines how the Scientific Revolution became the foundation for Western imperialism and led to the oppression of colonial nations.
From the emergence of Homo sapiens tens of thousands of years ago to the present day, humanity has undergone tremendous development. In the early days of humanity, people lived feeling the daily threat of survival. Yet, through the Cognitive Revolution, the Agricultural Revolution, and the Scientific Revolution, humanity has now risen to the top of the ecological food chain. While humanity has experienced many changes, the Scientific Revolution that occurred after the 17th century was what most dramatically propelled humanity’s rapid development. Through the Scientific Revolution, humanity achieved great scientific progress, yet simultaneously ushered in the era of modern imperialism. European nations, particularly those in Western Europe, which had previously been overshadowed by Asian powers, seized the opportunity presented by scientific advancement to launch massive expeditions into the unknown world. As a result of these explorations, they began discovering and conquering new continents previously unimaginable. Taking these attempts as a starting point, many European nations, without exception, embarked on exploration and conquest, and imperialism gradually spread throughout the entire Western world. Consequently, the majority of African nations, along with many countries in Asia and Oceania, became colonies of Western nations.
Why, as European nations joined the imperialist ranks one by one, did nations in Asia and Africa become their colonies? According to Yuval Noah Harari’s book ‘Sapiens’, what they lacked was not technological capability, but rather the values, myths, and socio-political structures that had formed over centuries in Western nations. France and the United States could quickly follow in Britain’s footsteps because they already shared its myths and social structures. Similarly, Japan’s ability to adopt imperialism likely stemmed from its rapid embrace of Western civilization through its own revolution, the Meiji Restoration.
How did this imperialism unfold? Let’s examine how imperialism progressed using the example of the British Empire. Initially, Portugal monopolized trade in Asia. Entering the 17th century, Britain challenged this Portuguese stronghold by establishing the East India Company to begin trade with Asian nations. Initially focused on trade with Asian countries, particularly India’s spice and textile industries, Britain began to take an interest in territory as the influence of the Mughal Empire, which ruled India, declined. Ultimately, Britain acquired control of India by force, began governing it through the East India Company, and by the mid-19th century, dissolved the company and began direct British rule over India. After a long struggle, including Gandhi’s famously nonviolent resistance, India finally achieved independence after World War II. Many colonial nations experienced Western colonial rule in a similar manner: Western civilization infiltrated under the pretext of trade, then used military force to exert dominance over these nations.
This imperialist colonial rule naturally provoked significant backlash from the colonized nations. The primary reason was the oppression inflicted by the imperialist powers. Starting with trade negotiation rights, they sequentially stripped the colonies of their military power, various administrative rights, and finally, their sovereignty. Above all, the most significant problem was that imperialist nations interfered with the cultures of the colonized nations. Imperialist nations culturally oppressed the colonized nations, forcibly imposed their own culture, and viewed the colonized nations not as nations but as mere tools to serve their own interests. Indeed, the cultural oppression was the catalyst for Indian soldiers to launch ‘The Great Sepoy Mutiny’. For those who followed Hinduism, which revered the cow, receiving rifle cartridges greased with cow fat was religiously objectionable, becoming a decisive trigger for the rebellion. Furthermore, in trade activities, imperialist nations did not engage in fair one-to-one transactions with colonial nations but instead took what they wanted through methods bordering on semi-extortion. In some nations, the slave trade was conducted, enslaving citizens of colonial countries and buying and selling them.
While the imperialist era saw the suppression of freedom in colonial nations and the perpetration of inhumane acts, it was not entirely devoid of positive outcomes when viewed in retrospect. The most positively evaluated aspect is that Western civilization, which was advanced in many areas at the time, was transmitted to the colonial nations. According to some scholars, the spread of a common language, the introduction of transportation systems like railroads, and the expansion of educational opportunities were achieved through imperialism. They argue that without these benefits, those nations would be in a worse situation than they are today. Furthermore, it is also true that the introduction of Western civilization gradually advanced the technology of colonial nations, which had been stagnant at pre-Industrial Revolution levels. This can be seen as a positive aspect of imperialism.
The question now is: if we exclude the cultural oppression by imperialist nations, could imperialism actually be beneficial for the colonized countries? If the discrimination and inhumane oppression that were the greatest problems of the past imperialist era were absent, wouldn’t living under the protection of a powerful nation, benefiting from their advanced culture and assistance, be a not-so-bad option? If this is difficult to grasp, consider this example. Imagine if the Republic of Korea were incorporated as the 51st state of the United States. One might feel this holds little significance now, as Korea has approached advanced economic status. But consider Korea thirty years ago, when it was economically impoverished. Becoming the 51st state then would have brought substantial economic and livelihood benefits. Thanks to America’s economic infrastructure and high standard of living, Korea could have developed rapidly. It could have directly benefited from America’s educational environment, job opportunities, and security. At that time, many people might have viewed this positively and welcomed it.
Moreover, becoming the 51st state wouldn’t mean South Korea’s language or culture would be completely overhauled. If our culture weren’t suppressed and we could share America’s infrastructure and environment, it might be cause for celebration among those who lamented ‘Hell Joseon’ while yearning for the US. However, my perspective differs slightly. Even if one could freely enjoy the diverse benefits of a superpower, overcoming cultural differences within a single nation is never easy. Even if there were no state-level cultural suppression, discrimination and conflict arising from people of different cultural backgrounds living together in the same community would be inevitable.
Similar examples include the various ongoing conflicts still happening today. South Korea, being composed of a single ethnic group, experiences relatively fewer such problems. However, in other countries, conflicts frequently arise due to cultural differences between distinct ethnic groups. Prime examples include the ongoing Catalonia independence conflict and the Kosovo independence conflict. The Catalonia conflict stems from tensions between Catalans and Castilians, who possess different cultural backgrounds. Similarly, the Kosovo conflict was a clash between ethnic Albanians and Serbs due to their distinct ethnic and cultural differences. These conflicts ultimately escalated into major conflicts, even leading to civil wars. These examples demonstrate how crucial culture is within a nation. Therefore, I believe imperialism cannot be positively glorified in any way.
Imperialism, which began in the 17th century, only ended by the mid-20th century. The imperialism that persisted for over 200 years left horrific memories that colonized nations wish to forget. While awareness of human rights was lacking at the time, unlike today, this does not justify the inhumane actions committed by imperialist nations. History does not permit the hypothetical “what if.” But what if imperialist nations had begun their relationships with newly explored countries on the basis of equal trade? Even if it had taken a little longer, the colonized nations could have embraced Western advanced civilization without a past stained by oppression and exploitation, and developed like modern nations.
Of course, this is merely a hypothetical. Yet within history, we must remember the violence and oppression brought by imperialism, and the conflicts that resulted. No matter how much one tries to speak of imperialism’s positive aspects, beneath them lies the suffering and sacrifice of countless people. Therefore, imperialism can never be viewed positively, and we must learn lessons from history.
