Lorenzo Veracini's "Colonialism: A Global History" (Book Note)

 

"Colonialism: A Global History" delves into the intricate relationship between colonialism, economic and social development, and imperialism.

 

The introduction examines the diverse forms and motivations behind colonial ventures. The author underscores the pivotal role of violence in colonialism, describing it as both foundational and persistent: it can be brutal and irrational, methodical and calculated, promised or threatened, and even serve as an example. The book distinguishes between colonialism and imperialism, highlighting that profits are garnered differently under each: colonies primarily provide lucrative trade opportunities, while imperial provinces primarily yield tribute. Another distinguishing factor is the concept of "blue water," signifying spatial separation. Some colonial endeavors aim to replicate the homeland, while settler colonialism seeks to establish resident colonies from the metropole, often with the goal of eroding Indigenous political autonomy and, in some cases, even displacing Indigenous populations. The driving force behind colonialism is attributed to an insatiable demand for commodities, which renders it profitable. The means? "Gunboats" - a reference to the decisive control of primarily maritime trade routes. Ultimately, colonialism is defined as a relationship built on displacement, a practice not limited to Western Europeans but historically more prevalent in their actions.

 

Veracini's narrative centers around seven distinct "waves" of colonialism. The first and second waves encompass Europe's endeavors in the 1400-1600s, encompassing the Atlantic slave trade and the establishment of mercantilist colonial empires. The first wave relied on existing subjugation networks for raiding, plundering, and seeking rent. The second wave, which followed, focused on organizing the production and commercialization of colonial commodities, particularly in tropical plantations. The driving forces behind both waves were the pursuit of plunder, spices from the east, and precious metals, followed by the profitability of colonial staples like sugar. Enslaved humans played a pivotal role in this phase, as they cultivated and processed sugarcane, sustaining the colonial trade. Profits emerged as the primary impetus for colonialism, overshadowing other factors. Missionaries often wore dual hats as both spiritual guides and traders. This profitable trade inevitably relied on violence, which underpinned all facets of colonial operations. Slavery, as a form of violence, resulted in what is described as a 'social death,' with millions sacrificed for the sake of capitalist accumulation and the pursuit of colonial trades.

 

The "third wave colonialism" shifts focus to temperate prairies and entire continents, emphasizing the acquisition of land rather than rent, tribute, or labor. This wave sought to displace indigenous populations from their homelands and was facilitated by a transportation revolution enabling pioneers to conquer new frontiers. This phase also witnessed the evolution from mercantilist economic logic to free trade ideas, asking why subject populations to direct taxation when unequal terms of trade could be exploited. The period saw the emergence of some of the earliest "decolonial" movements. Importantly, this wave is noted to persist even in contemporary contexts like Cyprus, Brazil, and Tibet.

 

The fourth wave is characterized by Britain's dominant power, marking the true global expansion of colonialism. The fifth wave overlaps with the previous, focusing on the "colonial state" and imperialism. With land for conquest dwindling, colonial powers turned to conflicts for economic resources and trade routes, leading to events like the Agadir Crisis, Boer War, Spanish American War, Italo-Turkish War, and ultimately World War I, which stands as one of the largest colonial conflicts. Militarized debt collection through coercion became a hallmark of colonial relations during the nineteenth century and beyond, characteristic of both the fourth and fifth waves.

 

The sixth wave introduces "neocolonial" experiments, including League of Nations Mandates, colonization under Italian fascists, Japanese imperialism, and what the author terms "Zionist colonization of Palestine." The subsequent chapter delves into Japanese colonialism and imperialism, followed by an examination of the "seventh wave." The author contends that while the period of "decolonialism" in the 1960s-1980s disrupted many global power dynamics, we do not inhabit a post-colonial world. Instead, we are in a recolonial era marked by chronic financial difficulties and evolving forms of domination and colonial trade. The final chapter explores various legacies of colonialism and neocolonialism. Veracini suggests practical solutions such as reparations (a tax on settlers), the return of stolen indigenous lands, and the removal or relocation of statues to more appropriate settings. In the end, when comparing the colonized Global South to the colonizers, mostly from Europe and the U.S., the disparities in systemic poverty and chronic disease are stark, making the case for addressing these historical injustices clear-cut.