Colonization of China and India - Essay Example

Sur Colonization in China and India When I was a kid, medieval monarch-themed films fascinate me a lot. I would mimic the way kings and queens talk and address their subjects in a regal way. With this, they're able to gain the respect and obedience of their people. As I entered preparatory school, I used the stately manners I've seen on films to gain friends and be able to rise above my peers. Because of the beautiful and spacious playground, I brought along my pals from the village to the school whenever the teachers would allow us to do so. Later, I encouraged them to study there with me to which they agreed. In grade school, my clique is the largest; each of my friends excels in different fields. Hence, our group somehow ruled the school population. Little did I realize that my group had somehow colonized the school for a year or two. A very simple sort of colonization, that is. Definitely my group's feat in school cannot match the real colonizers back in the 18th and 19th century when European conquistadors settled in foreign lands where their galleons docked, eventually migrated to that place and shared their knowledge to the natives. However, a book states that "human colonization is not to be confused with colonialism or imperialism, as colonization is a broader category, encompassing all large-scale emigrations (Student's Surname) 2 of an established population to a 'new' location, and expansion of their civilization into this area ("Colonisation")." What is colonialism then This word used to be the "in" thing among the rich empires almost three centuries ago. European countries spearheaded colonialism, adding more states and territories to their naturally rich metropolis. "Colonizers generally dominate the resources, labor, and markets of the colonial territory and may also impose socio-cultural, religious and linguistic structures on the conquered population ("Colonialism")." Today, most of the countries were once a colony of Europe or America. A number of decolonized country can be found in Asia, take China and India. China is one of the world's early civilizations "outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences ("History")." It has a naturally wise and talented people, like Confucius. What went wrong then for it to be colonized According to history books and encyclopedias, ever-changing dynasty rule has weakened China. "The first reliable historical Chinese dynasty is the Shang, which settled along the Yellow River in eastern China from the 18th to 12th century BC ("China")." Invasions by other states soon followed to unseat the Shang. Such wars continued to overthrow one dynasty after the other. "Regime change was often violent and the new ruling class usually needed to take special measures to ensure the loyalty of the overthrown dynasty." Because of the unstable imperial regime, "European countries and the United States exploited the weakness of China." However, the world's super powers still "maintained a so-called international concessions in China, a sort of colonial enclave; the coastal towns of Macau and Hong Kong (Student's Surname) 3 were held on long-term leases by Portugal and the United Kingdom." On 1843, United States President John Tyler wrote a missive to Chinese Emperor Dao Guang, expressing the desire to broaden the trading system between the two countries. US President Tyler wrote, "let the people trade not only at Canton, but also at Amoy, Ningpo, Shanghai, Fuhchan, and all such other places as may offer profitable exchanges both to China and the United States provided they do not break your laws nor our laws ("Letter")." Apart from the US, Britain also took advantage of this scheme. As written in Chinese history, it was this time that China "awoke to the significance of the rest of the world, particularly the West." However, as China opened up to foreign trade and missionary activity opium became available. Two Opium Wars with Britain weakened the Emperor's control." But not all European settlers in China abused the locals. Sir Edmund Hornby, who established the Supreme Court for China and Japan on 1865, has made the Chinese coolies feel what justice really is. Hornby made it clear that "the practice of thrashing Chinese on a mere lazy assumption of guilt must be at once put an end to ("Crime" 10)." Aside from Britain and America, Japan also "built a colonial empire in some parts of China using military force." But on 1937 to 1945 the Sino-Japanese War occurred as part of the Second World War. "With the surrender of Japan in 1945, China emerged victorious but financially drained." Similar to China, India is also one of the most populous countries. "The first urban civilization on the Indian subcontinent arose around 3300 BC ("India")." India is also engaged in trade ever since. Ruled by empires, India was somehow divided by northern and southern kingdoms. This country also experienced colonization like China. History books relate, (Student's Surname) 4 "from 180 BC, a series of invasions from Central Asia into the north-western Indian Subcontinent followed [.] From the sixteenth century onwards, several European countries, including Portugal, the Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom, started arriving as traders, and attempted to establish colonies in the subcontinent, taking advantage of the fractious nature of relations between thousands of kingdoms." One 1857, Indians attempted to overthrow the British East India Company; however, "the lack of an organized leadership weakened the rebellion, and inspired the British to take more power." But colonialism in India is not all-nightmare since a "western-style bureaucracy was raised with trained Indian people." In Rudyard Kipling's The Bridge Builders, he showed how Britain started building structures in India amid the difference in religious beliefs between the two races. Some historians also point out that "during the last decades of 19th century, the numerous Indian nobles allowed the rapid development and industrialization initiated by the British colonial authorities, perhaps expecting an absorption of the people or eventual expulsion of the authority from the country [.] By the early twentieth century, a nationwide movement for social reforms [] and full native governance was launched by the Indian National Congress, and various revolutionary groups. The movement was largely led by Mahatma Gandhi with eight other wise and learned Indians." My forefathers are native of India, particularly from Delhi and Agra. But at the time of Independence, my family migrated to Pakistan. To date, Indians are practically all over the globe. So is the Chinese race. From the United States to any part of Asia, one can definitely find a China Town. (Student's Surname) 5 Although India has "unresolved territorial disputes with China, which escalated into the brief Sino-Indian War in 1962," China and India are somehow linked by a shared colonial experience as both were conquered by European empires through trade. Both were exploited by foreign powers due to weak dynasties and warring native kingdoms. Both were enslaved by their respective conquerors and made to till their own farmlands. But both managed to fight for their freedom. India's northern and southern kingdoms and China's Nationalist and Communist parties joined forces to oust the European conquistadors. Today, although there are still "sectarian violence and insurgencies in various parts of India, it has maintained its unity and democracy. However, China was totally divided between the People's Republic of China that controls most of Mainland China; while, the Republic of China "was forced to retreat to the island of Taiwan." At present, both India and China are making its mark in the world economy. The infamous word (colonialism) no longer exists. But it gave birth to another word - neocolonialism. In Sociology, it is a "new form of global power relationships that involved not direct political control but economic exploitation by multinational corporations (Macionis 302)." Despite the "decolonization in the 1960s - 70s, former colonies are still under the strong Western influence" like the Philippines where large corporations "that operate in different countries" abound, killing the local industries. However, the "exception to this rule being in particular is the East Asian Tigers (mainly Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan), and the emerging Indian and Chinese powers." (Student's Surname) 6 Nevertheless, colonialism "has left scars, apparent in India with the 1984 Bhopal disaster, in which a pesticide plant released 40 tonnes of methyl isocyanate [] killing at least 15,000 people. The plant was controlled by the US firm Union Carbide." Despite all these, to me, if there's any advantage in being put under a colonial empire, it is the development of the sense of nationalism in oneself. Indians and Chinese may have explored other countries and are now living in different societies but their hearts remain with their Mother Land; evident in the values taught and preserved in every Chinese and Indian family. Works Cited "A Letter from the President." "China." Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. "Colonialism." Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. "Colonisation." Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. "History of China." "India." Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. Hornby, Edmund. "Crime and Punishment." Kipling, Rudyard. "The Bridge Builders." The Project Gutenberg EBook. 25 February 2006 Macionis, John J. Sociology. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1997. Read More