Jnanadeepa Pune Journal of Religious Studies ISSN 2249-1503 www.punejournal.in DOI: 10.5281/zenodo. 4249740 Colonialism: Origin, Development and Consequences Isaac Padinjarekuttu Abstract: Colonialism is one of the most emotion• ally charged concepts in contemporary language. It is perceived in radically different ways by the colonizers and the colonized. Francisco de Gomara (1552), Adam Smith (1776) and Karl Marx (1848) described the discovery of the Americas and the sea route to India as the two most important events recorded in the history of humankind.1 Four hundred years later, K. M. Panikkar in his famous book Asia and Western Dominance characterized the ‘Vasco da Gama era’ as the beginning of the political domination of Asia by Europe.2 In 1992, on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the “discovery” of America by Columbus, there was large scale condemnation of it as an invasion, colonization, legalised occupation, genocide, economic exploitation, eco• logical destruction, institutional racism and moral decadence.3 On the same tone ran the voices of protest this year, on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Vasco da Gama in India. The Government of India announced that no official commemoration of the event would take place, and social activists planned protest actions against the event which they saw as the beginning of the colonization of the country.4 There are others, however, who warn against historical amnesia and want us to look at history more realistically. According to the famous ecclesiastical historian A. M. Mundadan, to picture the arrival of Vasco da Gama only as a black memory will be historically unjustifiable. Keywords: Colonialism, Francisco de Gomara, Adam Smith, Vasco da Gama, A. M. Mundadan Cited as: Padinjarekuttu, Isaac(1998). Colonialism: Origin, Development and Consequences. Jnanadeepa: Pune Journal of Religious Studies, Jan 1998 Vol 1/2 5-22 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo. 4249740 Updated on Nov 10, 2020 JPJRS 1/2 (1998) 5-22 Colonialism Origin, Development and Consequences Isaac Padinjarekuttu Dept, of Historical Theology, JDV, Pane -411 014 Coloniaism is one of the most emotion­ and want us to look at history more ally charged concepts in contemporary realistically. According to the famous language. It is perceived in radically ecclesiastical historian A. M. different ways by the colonizers and the Mundadan, to picture the arrival of colonized. Francisco de Gomara (1552), Vasco da Gama only as a black memory Adam Smith (1776) and Karl Marx will be historically unjustifiable.5 (1848) described the discovery of the Thus there are different ways of Americas and the sea route to India as perceiving colonialism and it is diffi­ the two most important events recorded cult to define it. Nor is it fully an event in the history of humankind.1 Four hun­ of the past with sufficient historical dis­ dred years later, K. M. Panikkar in his tance6 for an objective evaluation. Still, famous book Asia and Western Domi­ in the following pages an attempt is nance characterized the ‘Vasco da made to trace the origin and develop­ Gama era’ as the beginning of the po­ ment of colonialism from the setting out litical domination of Asia by Europe.2 of the Portuguese to explore the seas in In 1992, on the occasion of the 500th the 15th century to the present day. I anniversary of the “discovery” of shall then describe the intimate relation­ America by Columbus, there was large ship between colonialism and Christian scale condemnation of it as an invasion, m-ission and its far-reaching conse­ colonization, legalised occupation, quences. genocide, economic exploitation, eco­ logical destruction, institutional racism 1. The Concept and moral decadence.3 On the same tone ran the voices of protest this year, Colpnialism has been defined in on the occasion of the 500th anniver­ different ways. Some of the important sary of the arrival of Vasco da Gama in definitions are: “Colonialism is the es­ India. The Government of India an­ tablishment and maintenance for an nounced that no official commemora­ extended time of rule over-alien people tion of the event would take place, and that is separate from and subordinate to social activists planned protest actions the ruling power.” It is the “Rule over against the event which they saw as the peoples of different race inhabiting beginning of the colonization of the lands separated by salt water from the country.4 There are others, however, imperial centre”. It is “Direct political who warn against historical amnesia control by Europeans or states settled 5 by Europeans over peoples of other viewpoint 011 colonialism.9 A value- races, notably over Asians and Afri­ free definition of colonialism is diffi­ cans”.7 Two important aspects of co­ cult but from all that has been said so lonialism stand out in these definitions: far, we may conclude that colonialism 1) assertion of racial and cultural supe­ has to do with control over alien peoples riority by an alien minority over a local who are considered inferior, and wide- majority; 2) encounter of a machine ranging exploitation of these peoples.10 oriented civilization with Christian ori­ As far as periodization is con­ gins, a powerful economy and a rapid cerned, modern colonialism begins with rhythm of life with a non-Christian civi­ the navigational explorations of the Ibe­ lization that lacks machines, marked by rian powers, Portugal and Spain, and a backward economy and a slow rhythm ends with the decolonization of Africa of life, and the imposition of the former in the 1960s. Closely related to colo­ civilization upon the latter. nialism is the concept of “imperialism” There are problems with these which in a way provided the conditions definitions. For example, expressions for establishing colonialism. Decoloni­ like powerful and weak economy, rapid zation refers to the process of attainment and slow' rhythm of life, etc., are biased of political independence by the colo­ and partial views about non-European nies. The concept of neo-colonialism peoples and cultures. Secondly, these refers to the indirect control exercised by the erstwhile colonizers on their definitions do not include 11011-western forms of colonialism like that of China colonies, particularly in the economic and Japan. Therefore, attempts have field. been made to give a still broader defi­ The motives for colonialism were nition of colonialism. It is seen as a phe­ varied. It is one of the ironies of world nomenon where “one political entity ex­ history that it was European nations that ercises direct political control over part went out as colonizers, and not the Ar­ of the world not contiguous to it, and abs or the Chinese. Compared to them, any movement or set of ideas desig­ Christian Europe in the 15th century nated to bring about or justify such a was peripheral in terms of geography, relationship”, or as a “domination of population, history and economics, and overseas areas without the acquisition yet it managed to colonize the whole of de facto sovereignty over them”, or world because of a number of factors: as the “expansion of a nation’s politi­ quest for glory and power, an aggres­ cal system over contiguous areas”.8 sive missionary enthusiasm, and a te­ There are people who see in colonial­ nacious will for profit at any cost." ism only evil of the worst sort, charac­ terized by military control, enslavement 2. A Brief History of and bestial exploitation and extermina­ Colonialism12 tion of peoples and cultures. This is In 1492 Columbus crossed the generally the view-point of the colo­ Atlantic and reached the islands in the nized themselves, and is often branded Caribbean which he called the “West as the “left-wing” or “communist” Indies”, thus beginning the Spanish co­ 6 Jnanadeepa 1998, Vol. I, No. 2 lonial adventure; six years later Vasco political rivalry that existed among lo­ da Gama cast anchor at Kappad near cal rulers. They established a number Kozhikode in India, inaugurating the of trading pockets all along the coasts. Portuguese trading empire in the East. In the 17th century the Dutch, the Thus western Europe began its domi­ second most important economic power nance over the rest of the world. Why in Europe in the Middle Ages, took the and how did this happen? Improve­ place of Portugal in Asia. They too ments in navigation, intense curiosity came in search of spices and wanted to about the unknown regions of the world, establish a Dutch monopoly over spice desire for a share in the lucrative trade trade in Asia. Unlike the Portuguese, in spices and silk monopolised by business was the only concern of the Venice and Genoa and taxed by the Dutch. Starting with a factory in Japan Muslims, and the religious motive to in 1609/10, by 1663, Java, Jakarta, take the gospel to new peoples were all Formosa/Taiwan, Surat, Ormuz, factors that contributed to it.13 In short, Ceylon, the Malabar coast, Malacca, crusade, curiosity, commerce, conver­ etc., were established or taken from the sion, conquest and colonization in that Portuguese. The Dutch thus monopo­ order 14 provided the motivations for lized the spice trade and this made the the colonial enterprises of the Iberian import of spices difficult for England. powers. This led to the founding of the English East India Company in 1600, and fac­ 2.1 In Asia tories were founded on the coasts of When the Portuguese landed at India, Malaya, Sumatra and Java. How­ Kozhikode in May, 1498, they were ever, in the Spice Islands the Dutch asked the reasons for their arrival, and proved to be very powerful. At this they answered that they came in search point, the discovery of cotton made In­ of ‘spices and Christians.’ Their first dia an important trading centre and En­ priority was to wrest the spice trade gland shifted its attention to India.