British sociology was established as an academic discipline between 1945 and 1965, just as the British Empire was gearing up for a new phase of developmental colonialism backed by the social and other sciences.
Dependency Theory
This speaks on a Marxist theory keenly on development, and underdevelopment, linking closely to colonisation. Andre Gunder Frank (1971) is one of the main theorists within this theory who believes that developing nations have failed to develop because the developed West have systematically underdeveloped them keeping them in a state of dependency. Frank explains that within the world capitalist system from the 16th century Latin America, Asia, and Africa were locked in by an unequal and exploitative relationship with powerful European nations. The way the world capitalist system works is by having an interlocking chain. This means having the wealthy ‘metropolis’ (European) nations at one end and undeveloped ‘satellite’ nations at the other end. Due to core nations having a superior economic and military power they exploit the satellite nations.
Exploiting satellite nations meant that wealth was gained through extracting natural resources from developing nations whose profit paid for their industrialisation and economic/social development. This process keeps developing nations destitute, which best describes why we can still refer to certain nations as being ‘undeveloped’ or ‘developing’ whilst Europe remains developed. However, developed countries do fear the development of developing countries as it could threaten the prosperity of the West.
Colonialism, Slavery and Dependency
From the sociological eye colonialism is a process where more powerful nations take control of another territory and exploit its resources for the benefit of themselves. When a country is put under colonial rulership, they are automatically placed under the mother country and are not viewed as an independent country.
In essence colonialism is summed up as an ‘Empire building’. Frank expresses that the main colonial expansion meant that naval & military technology could be used to conquer and colonise the rest of the world. For example, the Portuguese and Spanish extracted gold/silver from South America, whilst the United Kingdom profited from oil reserves in Saudi Arabia. In the evolution of colonisation we see the use of the triangular trade which exported goods such as Bananas and Sugar cane from the Caribbean, Cocoa and slaves from West Africa, Coffee from East Africa and Tea from India. This process maintained a social order
amongst other colonies. Colonialism destroyed economies from being self-sufficient and independent, making them dependent on earning pay from their willingness to grow and export sugar, tea or coffee back to Europe. Though colonisation ceased in the 1960s, Neo-Colonialism was introduced to subtly exploit countries economically, achieved through trading that benefitted the West, transnational countries exploiting labour and resources in poor countries.
Psychology
Psychology plays a significant role in shaping and perpetuating colonization, as it influences the attitudes, motivations, and behaviors of individuals involved in the process. This essay explores the impact of psychology on colonization, shedding light on various psychological mechanisms that contribute to the perpetuation and consequences of colonial practices.
Psychological Mechanisms Driving Colonization
Psychology reveals that humans possess a natural tendency to view their own culture and way of life as superior, leading to ethnocentrism. This ethnocentric perspective often drives colonizers to impose their own cultural norms, values, and beliefs on the colonized populations. Stereotyping, another psychological process, contributes to the dehumanization and categorization of indigenous peoples, perpetuating power imbalances and justifying colonization. Colonizers may experience cognitive dissonance, a psychological state of discomfort caused by holding contradictory beliefs or values. While colonization involves the exercise of power and control, it can conflict with notions of justice, equality, and empathy. As a result, colonizers may employ psychological mechanisms to rationalize and justify their actions, minimizing feelings of guilt or moral responsibility.
Psychological research suggests that individuals may employ various strategies to rationalize and justify their behavior, even when it involves harming others. This is applicable to colonizers who engage in acts of colonization. Mechanisms such as moral disengagement, wherein individuals detach themselves morally from the consequences of their actions, allow colonizers to engage in exploitative practices while maintaining a positive self-image.
Psychological Impact on Colonized Populations
Colonization often results in the disruption and erosion of indigenous cultures and identities. The imposition of foreign languages, customs, and norms can lead to a loss of cultural heritage and a sense of dislocation for colonized populations. This psychological impact manifests in the form of cultural alienation, identity crises, and intergenerational trauma.
The psychological effects of colonization extend to the internalization of oppressive ideologies by the colonized individuals. Systemic discrimination, marginalization, and power imbalances can lead to the internalization of negative stereotypes and beliefs, eroding self-esteem and perpetuating a cycle of subjugation and subordination. Psychology also illuminates the resilience and resistance displayed by colonized populations. Despite the psychological traumas inflicted by colonization, individuals and communities often develop coping mechanisms, cultural preservation strategies, and collective movements to reclaim their identities and challenge oppressive structures.
References:
1. The Sociology of Empires, Colonies, and Postcolonialism, found at:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/43049527?searchText=the%20sociology%20of%20colonizat ion&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dthe%2Bsociology%2Bof% 2Bcolonization&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-def ault%3Af8ed7802fd1125226447f1c3d5fa61cf
2. Colonial Psychology: The Psychology We All Recognize, found at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/moral-landscapes/202107/colonial-psycholog y-the-psychology-we-all-recognize
3. Colonialism and Psychology of Culture, found at: https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2007.00046.x
4. The Psychology of Colonialism: Sex, Age, and Ideology in British India, found at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/00332747.1982.11024151?needAccess=true
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