Putin's Wars by Marcel H. Van Herpen Read Free Book Online Page A

that asked itself
     questions about its capacity and the legality to exercise its rights and dominate
     other peoples.” [1]
Imperialist Legitimation Theories: Christianity, a Superior Civilization, and the
     White Man’s Burden
    In its search for a legitimation theory Spain fell back on the old medieval theory
     of the “just war” waged by Christians against the infidels. The “infidels,” in this
     case, were not Muslims, but pagans. An additional argument was found in the fact that
     the population of the Caribbean included cannibals, which was considered a reason
     for them to be enslaved. Thus, in this early period the Christian faith and the superiority
     of Europe’s civilization were used as arguments to support imperialist rule. In Western
     Europe the inherent hypocrisy of these theories began to be attacked in the eighteenth
     century when Enlightenment philosophers, such as Voltaire and Diderot, formulated
     the first fundamental criticism of slavery and colonial rule. [2] These critical voices found resonance in the nineteenth century, when a widely
     supported anti-slavery movement emerged. This led to a new legitimation theory, the
     theory of the white man’s burden, which was the result of the bad conscience caused by the new moral criticism. It
     became more difficult to legitimate imperialist expansion by referring to the Christian
     faith (in both its catholic, as well as its protestant variants). In the words of
     John Kenneth Galbraith,
[Colonialism’s] real motives, were they stated, would be altogether too uncouth, selfish
     or obscene. So where colonization has involved people—where it has not meant merely
     the appropriation and settlement of unused lands—the colonialists have almost always
     seen themselves as the purveyors of some transcendental moral, spiritual, political
     or social worth. The reality [however] has as regularly included a considerable component
     of pecuniary interest, real or anticipated, for important participants. [3]
    The bad conscience about colonial practice that emerged in the nineteenth century
     necessitated the forging of a new legitimation theory in which the concept of moral duty had a central place. This was especially the case in protestant countries, such as
     Britain and the Netherlands. This new legitimation theory was dubbed the white man’s burden , [4] because imperialist expansion was considered not so much an interest- and profit-driven
     exploitation of foreign countries and foreign peoples, but rather a civilizing mission. Of course this civilizing mission had already played a role when the Christian faith
     was used as a legitimation theory. But then the emphasis was still on the spiritual salvation of the indigenous populations by their conversion to Christianity. Now this
     legitimation theory was turned upside down: what was at stake was not their spiritual salvation in the afterlife, but their earthly salvation here and now. The colonial ruler—far from being an oppressor and exploiter—was
     a helper and a coach of native populations, bringing them the benefits of modern governance, modern transport
     systems, modern industry and trade, and, in addition, the whole rich Western culture
     that became available to local elites by giving them access to higher education. In
     1897 H. F. Wyatt, the founder of the British Imperial Maritime League , wrote:
In Asia and in Africa great native populations have passed under our hands. To us—to
     us, and not to others, a certain definite duty has been assigned. To carry light and
     civilization into the dark places of the world; to touch the mind of Asia and of Africa
     with the ethical ideas of Europe; to give to thronging millions, who would otherwise
     never know peace or security, these first conditions of human advance . . . . [5] To sustain worthily the burden of empire is the task manifestly appointed to Britain,
     and therefore to fulfil that task is her duty, as it should also be her