For quite a long time, some European counties’ navy was the mightiest in the world that apparently increased their military force and authority. The Age of Discovery revealed adventurous and grasping nature of those counties with regard to the new territories, trade places and resources. The colonial system that was built by Great Britain, France and Spain is an example of complete dependency of less developed nations to their centers. Indeed, it may be called the European occupation of the colonies, because local people were deprived of any form of governance and mostly served the needs of the center.
Apparently, the European countries were interested in prevention of any kind of takeovers and other attempts of local leaders to gain political power. With this purpose, news and media were aimed at portraying people who lived in the colonies as extremely incapable of governing their own home. For example, Dadabhai Naoroji listed benefits of the British Rule for India in terms of politics, civilization, economy and so on. He praises Great Britain for such things as “development of a few valuable products, such as indigo, tea, coffee, silk, etc.” (“Modern History Sourcebook: Dadabhai Naoraji: The Benefits of British Rule, 1871,” 1998). It indeed increased exports and helped the economy that, however, worked for the British Empire’s benefit. Industrialization that Britain was going through was not expanded to its colonies that were left underdeveloped and serving their best for the interests of the center. From the stories about the African tribes, the manner of making each other a king just because of some exceptional features was made fun of: “You are one of those of whom we have heard, who came from nobody knows where, and whom we never expected to see. You are our king. We make you our king. Stay with us always, for we love you!” (“Modern History Sourcebook: Paul du Chaillu: Travels in Africa, 1868-1870,” 1998). How people who appoint kings that easily can manage their country’s affairs? They need a powerful ruler from outside who would be more civilized and diplomatic.
Moreover, the degree of brutality in those areas was also exaggerated for people not to support the colonies in their independence aspirations. Therefore, that-time media were presenting inaccurate and intentionally incorrect information. The story about the death of General Gordon at Khartoum demonstrates the exceptional brutality of the Arabs who surrounded, attacked and killed the General. He was a noble man with a good military training and managed to withstand the treat for quite a long time. His death was caused by the explosion of mines that he himself embedded for protection. The Arabs were attacking, but they did not murder him. At the same time, in the situation of high urgency, Gordon did not get support from his fellows: “Gordon telegraphed that he had provisions for five months, and if he only had two thousand to three thousand Turkish troops he could soon settle the rebels. Unfortunately, he received not one fighting man” (“Islamic History Sourcebook: Alfred Egmont Hake: The Death of General Gordon at Khartoum, 1885,” 1998).
Finally, some other historians were focusing on demonstrating the conditions of living in the colony. The people there could suffer from animal or insect attacks, had poor living standards and be humiliated. Demonstration of this brought up feelings of the high need to help and showed the center’s ‘good intentions.’ For instance, Morocco of 1870 was described as the most dreadful place ever visited by the Europeans. It suffered from grasshoppers attacks that were destroying everything around them. The locals were also afraid facing such a threat from nature. At the same time, Edmondo de Amicis demonstrates his deep interest in life and talents of people in the colony and surprise how poor they live. He writes, “although I have seen as man killed, I have never experienced such feelings of profound horror as when I beheld that half-naked boy stretched out on the ground to receive his fifty lashes” (“Modern History Sourcebook: Edmondo de Amicis: One Day in Morocco, c. 1870,” 1998).
References
Islamic History Sourcebook: Alfred Egmont Hake: The Death of General Gordon at Khartoum, 1885. (1998). Fordham University. http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/islam/1885khartoum1.asp
Modern History Sourcebook: Dadabhai Naoraji: The Benefits of British Rule, 1871. (1998). Fordham University. Retrieved from http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1871britishrule.asp
Modern History Sourcebook: Paul du Chaillu: Travels in Africa, 1868-1870. (1998). Fordham University. Retrieved from http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1870chaillu-africa.asp
Modern History Sourcebook: Edmondo de Amicis: One Day in Morocco, c. 1870. (1998). Fordham University. Retrieved from http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1870morocco.asp
