Globalization in the African Diaspora - Term Paper Example

Globalization, survival, and empowerment in the African diaspora Based on its wide range of unexploited resources in the 19th century, African region became very attractive for the Western countries leading to the emergence of colonialization. As the western countries took control of the resources in Africa, they established manufacturing facilities at their home countries. To meet the high demand of the products from the local and international markets, more labor was needed. This led to the emergence of Atlantic and slave trades that led to the dispersion of large number of African diaspora to the western countries. As the African diaspora intermingled with other communities, racial capitalization and colonization emerged resulting to the ragging behind of the African diaspora in terms of all aspects of development. This paper explain how racial capitalization and colonization shaped diasporic culture by identifying the social, political and economic ramifications of colonization and capitalization. Economic ramifications of colonization One of the major causes of the expansion of the slavery in the 17th century and even in the 16th century was the economic boom that occurred in the Atlantic basin. Based on the heavy control of the Atlantic commerce by the western countries, African laborers were used as captives that worked in the western countries (Olaniyan and Sweet 36). Despite the availability of job opportunities based on the large number of companies that the American and other western countries had established, African diaspora were not allowed to take complex assignment. Majority of the people of color only worked as cooks, servants or maids. This was mostly based due to lack of adequate education and skills that could allow the minorities to work as engineers and doctors among other jobs. Apart from being denied chances to join more competitive positions within the industries, the African diaspora were not allowed to accumulate capital that would have enabled them to initiate their own businesses. This was undertaken by the western countries to avoid competition from the minorities. Unequal distribution of resources is another notable aspect that came about due to the inter-group rivalries that emerged as the result of colonization. The western capitalization system resulted to the favoring of the privileged groups that were mostly made up of the white people. Based on their control of the vital resources, the western countries led to the emergence of enriched members of the community at the expense of the minority. Social ramifications of colonization With the growth in the alienation of the African diaspora, their social life was negatively affected leading to the emergence of traditional religions. Being identified as people without mush historical agency, African diaspora were viewed as representatives of individuals with primitive culture thus were not allowed to undertake duties that were similar to those undertaken by the white people (Patrick 21). One of the notable social colonization was the initiation of situation that caused ethnic rivalry among the minorities. Thus they could not join together and form movements that would act as the avenues to air their grievances. Violation of human rights especially of those living at the neighborhood on the majority was common. This was undertaken by propagating unjust policies that led to the loss of lands, loss of religious identities and culture. Such unjust polices included slavery, apartheid and mass murder. As mentioned earlier, majority of African diaspora were not exposed to adequate education opportunities as compared to the white majority. As a result, the social lives of the African diaspora were characterized by conflicts among themselves an aspect that made them weaker. Despite the growth social colonization by the western countries, minority black gradually started to offer resistance through social movements. For example, the enslaved black people started to offer opposition to the slave buyers while at the same time helping others to escape or purchasing of their freedom. This was followed by emergence of campaigners for national liberation and upholding of social and race rights such as Jim Crow. Political ramifications of colonization Another major challenge that affected the empowerment on the African diaspora was the political colonization. In most of their political issues, the western communities were repressive as well as undemocratic in nature. Despite the growth of political movement among the western comminutes, the African diaspora were not provided with ample opportunity to exercise their political obligations. Due to lack of political institutions that catered for the rights of the minority, their social and cultural issues remained unresolved (Mark 17). During the election of the political leaders, individuals of disaporic cultures were excluded from voting an aspect that made them to lack proper representations in the laws making institutions. As a result, there were no avenues through which their grievances could reach the majority. As the political colonization became more established, the disaporic culture lacked trust with the majority leaders thus most of them up to date are hesitant to vote while others do not believe in the political system upheld by the western countries. As the result of the colonization and the capitalization of the diasporic culture, the western culture has been transformed in various ways. For example, as the result of the accumulation of capital, majority of the western countries have turned to be capitalists. This implies that people own property that they can transfer to others if they wish without many restrictions. In their efforts to seek justice from the majority, the diasporic culture emulated social movements in their working places. Such movements have transformed the western cultures who have now realized the significance of the workers movement in propagating justice and creating political stability. Based on the globalization process, there has been an increased demand for international communities to emphasis on human rights. Despite the human rights limitations that the African Diasporas faced during the colonization, Northern American and Western Europe culture have now accepted the diasporic culture as a group of people with political, cultural as well as social rights. As the demand for more products increase in the international market, minority are being significantly involved in the production process both as skilled and unskilled workforce. This has been attained by recognizing the significance of diversity in achieving political, social and economic development. Additionally, the education sector in the western countries is open to all races thus providing all individuals with equal rights contrast to the situation during the era of colonization. Conclusion Racial capitalization and colonization had a big impact on the culture of the people of diasporic culture in various ways. With the increased need to increase production, western countries hired individuals of diasporic culture as unskilled work force without allowing them to accumulate wealth. Similarly, the economic disparity that entailed unequal distribution of resources created a gap between the western and diasporic culture. Socially, the diasporic cultures lagged behind as the result being recognized as lazy and primitive. This did not only involve segregating them from social events but also limiting them from accessing quality education. Failure to be provided with chances to vote during elections is one of the key political ramifications that made majority of individuals of diasporic origin to lack trust on their leaders. Despite the experiences that the diasporic culture underwent, there has been a notable transformation on the side of the western culture. Such changes include upholding of human rights, elimination of racial discrimination in the institutions of learning and addressing diversity in the work places among others. Works Cited Mark, K. Collapsed Empires. In Managing Global Chaos: Sources of and Responses to International Conflict. Washington: United States Institute of Peace, 1996.Print. Olaniyan, T and Sweet, H. The African Diaspora and the Disciplines. Indiana: Indiana University Press, 2010.Print. Patrick M. The African Diaspora: A History Through Culture. London: Sage, 201.Print. Read More