Australian Imperialism and Invasion of Asia - Essay Example

Name : xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Tutor :xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Title : Australian Imperialism and invasion of Asia Institution : xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Date :xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx @ 2010 Synopsis A country that is healthy in terms of its economy, military, culture and politics cannot boast of having stood alone to achieve all that. The achievement may involve the efforts of its people on a grant scale but also it is wise to recognize the contributions of foreign countries to that success. A relationship with other countries that are far or near is mandatory for a country’s stability as in the case of Australia. It is common knowledge that Australia has been in relationships with other countries for many years now1. Some of these countries are close allies in matters of the economy and politics but others are neo colonists and subordinates who contribute to its success through exploitation. Such countries like the Pacific Islands and some from Asia like Indonesia only serve the military, political and economic interests of Australia. They have made the country wealthy by contributing to its per capita income and they still do it to date. Several companies of Australian origin operate in these countries while the profits gained are carried back home. This kind of relationship shows us how Australia needs the Asia and Pacific region for its survival. It has even supported wars and military undertakings in order to safeguard its interests in the region. Introduction Imperialism is a term that is used to refer to a state where by a country or group of countries exerts their influence culturally, economically or territorially in a dominant way over others. In most cases the dominant party seeks to gain unfairly by exploiting and subordinating the dominated. Imperialism can also be seen through the military angle where countries with strong military capability seek to influence or manipulate those with lesser power. The high and mighty economic and military powers of the globe have through out history been in a struggle to exert their influence upon the weaker nations. Such world powers include Britain, France, the United States of America and others that are known to practice regional imperialism in different parts of the world. Australia is one of the countries in the world that have a history of imperialism especially in Asia and the Pacific region. 2 Australia operates as a junior partner of the United States in matters of imperialism with its influence being felt in East Timor, the Solomons Islands, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Vanuatu. Other imperialist states recognize Australia’s influence in these areas but exercise their rights by competing with it for dominance. Imperialist states cannot survive on their own since they have to obtain resources or other advantage from other nations under their influence. Thomas Bender the historian talks about this on the United States but it also holds a lot of water when it comes to Australia. 3The pacific and South East Asia countries are critical in shaping Australia because in the words of Bender ‘‘it is not free standing and self contained.’’ It has been with them for along time and therefore cannot do without them. They are of great significance in the development of the nation. Imperialist countries could not be wealthy and influential to the levels they are today if they did not involve themselves in exploitative relationships. The prosperity and economic power of Australia today is owed to those countries of the Pacific and Melanesia who have played host to its capitalist corporations. Somebody may argue that a country that is weaker economically is the one that needs the stronger one for support. However according to it is the other way round for the powerful countries. A country whose resource base is being exploited at massive rates remains weak as the one extracting the resources grows stronger. Today the Islands of the Pacific could be the way they are because they are still under the control of Australia. It could be true that if they were not under the influence of a stronger economic power they could be better off. For Australia to have perpetuated development, its companies need to remain in these Pacific countries and its interests and influence in those countries safeguarded.4 Imperialist activities in Australia started with monopoly capitalists trying to find new places for their capital investment. This made Australia to export its capital to countries that were not industrialized and in turn establish infrastructure in those countries that could make it easy to export raw materials. This resulted into the country seeking to establish its control over these nations as neo colonies on whom military and economic dominance was exercised. Australia has been in continuous exploitation of labor and resources of other countries. This has taken place through history by capitalist companies that operate in those countries. 5 At the beginning of the Second World War corporations such as Steam ships, Burns Philip and W.R. Carpenter had a heavy influence in the plantation and trading economies of New Hebrides and Papua New Guinea. Their dominance was so strong in the economies of the Pacific Islands. They had great interests in finance empires, shipping, growing and trading. The penetration of these corporations into the economies of these countries opened the door for other big businesses from Australia to enter and dominate the Melanesian economy and also to exert military and political dominance in South Pacific. 6 Australian capital was taken to Melanesia in the 1970s by mining companies such as Rio Tinto, Panguna copper mines, and Ok Tedi gold and copper mines. These companies did exploit the region on a very large scale. Exploitation means the wealth meant for those countries being exploited is transferred to their economic masters. The growth and development of Australia could not have been that first if it was not involved in siphoning resources and profits from its neo-colonies. Economic imperialism benefits Australia since its economy receives great boost from the investments made in foreign countries. Between the years 1850 and 1890 the working class in Australia had the best time since the country was so prosperous. It is reported that the living standards at that time could not be compared to any other country, leave alone the US and Britain. 7Levels of consumption and Per capita income were 50% over those in the United States and twice what Britain had. This was around the 1960s and they were still going up. Much of this wealth had its origin in the countries of the Pacific and Melanesia. As capital is exported to these countries by the capitalist companies originating from Australia, cheap labor and raw materials are easily acquired from them. Since the investors wield huge economic power, they make huge profits which they carry back home because they monopolies they have established in those countries. There is ready market for their goods and taxation by the host countries is minimal.8 Australia is a beneficiary of imperialism even through Britain. Capital flowing in from Britain contributed greatly to that Prosperity of Australia before the federation arrangement came in. This capital was obtained as a result of Britain’s exploitative influence on Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. The economic influence and imperialism of Australia is not only found in the Pacific or Melanesia. It is also being felt in South East Asia. However Australia maintains a totally different kind of relationship in this region from the one it has with Melanesia and the Pacific in economic, political and military terms. 9 Until 1939 Australian capitalist companies were involved in trade with colonies of Britain, the U.S, Denmark and other protectorates in Asia together with Japan. This trade was being done on a minimal scale since Australia traded greatly with Britain. Trade of this kind did not have any exploitative motives behind it but at least it was of some significance to Australia. It added to its success and economic strength. Where Japan was involved however, Australia sensed competition since an imperialist force was also developing in Japan. Competition for resources and control could not allow the two to forge any trading partnership but instead looked at each other with suspicion.10 A country that seeks to stamp its influence around the region such as Australia needs the support of others that are stronger like it with which it reads from the same script. This is the reason why Australia has found friendship and partnership in Britain and the U.S. They are some of the forces that help it to exercise imperialism on the countries of Asia and Pacific. In fact Australia is called Washington’s junior partner in matters of imperialism. This gives us more evidence to support the argument that Australia needs others to survive. As much as it needs the economically less powerful countries of Asia and Pacific like Melanesia and Pacific it also needs the United States and Britain. These ones help it to stamp its authority in that region. Without them it would be standing on weaker ground as its policies would be condemned even by the United Nations and the rest of the world.11 It is not just the economic aspect alone in which Australia has failed to stand on its own. Militarily it also seeks to be recognized in the region of Asia and Pacific. In the 1930s the threat of war on Australia and the United States by Japan, and its rising imperialism made Australia to give priority to military and political partnerships with the United States. This followed the expansion of Japan’s military to Manchuria and China. Australia has chosen to defend imperialist policies just like the United States of America. Through out history up to 1975, Australia has had its involvement in the politics of countries in Asia. In 1948, Australia was supporting the position of the United States to forcibly disarm the Indonesian Left. It also supported the US and UN involvement in military activities on the Korean Peninsula between 1950 and 1953. 12 In 1975 when Suharto invaded East Timor with an aim of wiping out the Fretilin Liberation Movement, Australia gave military, political, financial and diplomatic support to his regime. These are just a few examples to show how much Australia is involved with the region’s affairs. The policy of Australia is to date is to try and compel the Asian countries to open up their markets to Australian capital and exports. It also has investments in South America, the United States, New Zea land and Europe.The imperialism of Australia in Indonesia is a case study of great significance. Avery interesting turn of events can be found here. This is where Australia supported the dictatorial and brutal regime of Suharto in its invasion of East Timor. Its eyes were on East Timor although Portugal gives it competition in this area. Diplomats from Australia strongly defended Indonesia’s occupation of East Timor with all the atrocities it was perpetrating. Talk about the 1991 Dilli massacre in which many lives were lost. 13Such things happen because the interest of imperialist Australia needs to be guarded even at the expense of people’s lives. Australia military intervention in various places in Asia and Pacific is something that cannot be hidden. According to the Australian government the country is ready to contribute the largest number of military personnel to any country in the region in case need arises. War does not cost much especially when there is something to gain. This happens even if the country involved is losing its people. Competition between imperialist countries for colonies and protectorates is another cause for war. 14War can be fought in defense of the colony or in support of like minded regimes in the colony. A country cannot engage in war if there is nothing that can come out of it. All the military interventions that Australia has made in Asia are aimed at helping it maintain its authority as the biggest military power in the region. Yes there may be no other stronger nation militarily but war is not the best way to show it. When imperialists engage in war, they only seek to silence their critics or enemies. Their actions may still be wrong but their interest is to gain military advantage over others. With a powerful military that is respected in the region, then even competition from other emerging economic powers will not be so much pronounced. Military prowess and economic dominance cannot be separated. War can be use to force some countries into subordination and sycophancy so that their resources can be exploited in the process. 15 Conclusion In conclusion a country that seeks to remain a strong political, economic and military force cannot stand alone in the present world and succeed. It needs ‘subjects’ or neo colonies and other powerful states that can share its views on international policies. Just like the United States Australia is one such country. In all history, Australia has struggled to extend and maintain its colonial tentacles on the countries of Asia and Pacific. This has happened in economic, military and political matters. The result has been exploitation of resources from these countries. This tells us that they are strong contributors to the success of Australia in all aspects. It cannot stand without them and remain as strong as it is.16Other countries that are important to its survival are the economic and political allies like the United States and Britain. These are useful since their policies on international relations and imperialism is similar. They have much in common on this and their support gives Australia the political and economic go ahead and boldness to invade other territories in search for supremacy and economic advantage. Annotated Bibliography Australian National Audit Office (ANAO), 2001/2002, report no. 38, “Management of Australian Defense Force Deployments to East Timor”, pp. 27-28. Available at: http://www.anao.gov.au/uploads/documents/2001-02_Audit_Report_38.pdfThis report has helped get to know many things. Among them is the way the defense forces deployed to East Timor were organized. It also tells me how they were funded and managed. Bob Nicholas (1988), The Colonial Volunteers: The Defence Forces of the Australian Colonies 1836-1901, Allen & Unwin, Sydney. From this book I got a very useful account of the military organization of the Australian colonies and the contribution of Australian military to those countries. Don Greenlees and Robert Garran, Deliverance: The Inside Story of East Timor’s Fight for Freedom (Crows Nest NSW, Allen & Unwin, 2002) p. 83.This book was very resourceful. It helped to understand the role of Australia in East Timor conflicts. It let me know that Australia was not in support for the people of East Timor. Eddy, J.J.(1969). Britain and the Australian Colonies 1818-1831: The Technique of Government, Clarendon Press, Oxford. This was a very important book especially when it comes to the relationship of Australia with Britain in matters of Imperialism. It also gives much information on the state of the neo colonies of Australia in Asia. Hugh White, “The Road to INTERFET: Reflections on the Australian Strategic Decisions Concerning East Timor, December 1998 - September 1999”, Security Challenges (volume 4, number 1, Autumn 2008) pp. 75f. From this journal I got to understand the decisions and positions taken by Australia on East Timor. Kelly Paul, (2009) March of the Patriots: The Struggle for Modern Australia (Melbourne, Melbourne University Press,) p. 494.This book gave me insight into the struggles that Australia has been in to date. It gave me reasons fro Australia’s involvement in International wars. Pemberton, Gregory, (1987) All the Way: Australia's Road to Vietnam, Allen & Unwin, Sydney. From this book I got to understand many things concerning the war of Vietnam and the role of Australia. Penny, Barbara, "The Australian Debate on the Boer War", Historical Studies 14 (56), April 1971. this is a wonderful book. It has given me material on the position of Australia and its involvement in war especially the Boer war. Roger C.Thompson, (1980) Australian Imperialism in the Pacific: The Expansionist Era 1820- 1920, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne. This book was very good since it gives detailed information on the way Australia has exploited the weaker nations of the Pacific. It has the reasons and the motive behind Australia’s actions. Scarr, Deryck,(1990) The History of the Pacific Islands: Kingdoms of the Reefs, Macmillan, Melbourne. This book gave me information on the back ground of the Pacific Islands and Australia’s involvement with them. Trainor, Luke (1994), British Imperialism and Australian Nationalism: Manipulation, Conflict and Compromise in the Late Nineteenth Century, Cambridge University Press, Melbourne .This is a good book if one wants to learn more on Imperialism. It taught me the origin of imperialist tendencies in Australia. V. I. Lenin (1997) Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism, International Publishers, New York. This is a very good book. It gave me insight into the meaning of capitalism and the way it is carried out. It also has the reasons for this. Bibliography Australian National Audit Office (ANAO), 2001/2002, report no. 38, “Management of Australian Defence Force Deployments to East Timor”, pp. 27-28. Available at: http://www.anao.gov.au/uploads/documents/2001-02_Audit_Report_38. Bob Nicholas (1988), The Colonial Volunteers: The Defence Forces of the Australian Colonies 1836-1901, Allen & Unwin, Sydney. Don Greenlees and Robert Garran, Deliverance: The Inside Story of East Timor’s Fight for Freedom (Crows Nest NSW, Allen & Unwin, 2002) p. 83. Eddy, J.J.(1969). Britain and the Australian Colonies 1818-1831: The Technique of Government, Clarendon Press, Oxford. Hugh White, “The Road to INTERFET: Reflections on the Australian Strategic Decisions Concerning East Timor, December 1998 - September 1999”, Security Challenges (volume 4, number 1, Autumn 2008) pp. 75f. Kelly Paul, (2009) March of the Patriots: The Struggle for Modern Australia (Melbourne, Melbourne University Press,) p. 494. Pemberton, Gregory, (1987) All the Way: Australia's Road to Vietnam, Allen & Unwin, Sydney. Penny, Barbara, "The Australian Debate on the Boer War", Historical Studies 14 (56), April 1971. Roger C.Thompson, (1980) Australian Imperialism in the Pacific: The Expansionist Era 1820- 1920, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne. Scarr, Deryck,(1990).The History of the Pacific Islands: Kingdoms of the Reefs, Macmillan, Melbourne. Trainor, Luke (1994), British Imperialism and Australian Nationalism: Manipulation, Conflict and Compromise in the Late Nineteenth Century, Cambridge University Press, Melbourne. V. I. Lenin (1997) Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism, International Publishers, New York. Read More