I wasn’t really aware that Keti Koti had a kind of remembrance day format. It’s hard for me as a white Dutchman to truly understand the complexities of the situation, but we can all agree that slavery was horrible and that having a remembrance ceremony like this is a good thing. The apology seemed sincere and well received.
Apologizing for your forbears actions is strange to me. Colonialism had many bad results and effects, but it also brought about many incredibly positive changes and advancements. It’s not a black and white issue.
If by “brought about positive changes”, you mean that it’s allowed colonial powers to enrich themselves enormously while draining their colonies of wealth, leaving millions to starve and destabilizing regions for generations, then yes perhaps you’re right. The argument you used could be applied in exactly the same way to justify slavery. The positive changes here always favour the oppressor, never the oppressed.
@Chipthemonk @BrikoX Is there something that makes you think positive changes & advancements wouldn’t have happened without colonialism?
It’s hard to imagine that we would be where we are today, as a technologically advanced and free society in the west, without colonialism.
@Chipthemonk To assist your imagination, consider Japan. It wasn’t colonised (in fact it eventually became a coloniser) but found its own path to development.
If they became a colonizer, then they were not “in need” of technological advancement. And when I say technological advancement, I’m referring to things like communication, healthcare, a court of law, and so much more.
The places that got colonized got colonized because they were not as well developed, both in terms of capacity, infrastructure, and technology, to name a few things.
Colonialism allowed places not like Japan to become as advanced as Japan.
@Chipthemonk @boyi Point is, before being colonised, India was at a similar level of tech to Japan; some would say India’s textiles were ahead. So if left to themselves, what makes you think they wouldn’t have built railways etc. as Japan did? Likewise, Ethiopia already had roads, courts etc. when briefly occupied by Italy. The Italians’ advantage was an air force & poison gas.
If you’re actually sorry, make ammends. Give the people of Congo your wealth Mr. King man.
Dutch, not Belgian.
