A LOOK BACK THROUGH HISTORY: AN ARGUMENT THAT EUGENICS CAUSED SOME PLIGHT ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT

Modern thought theorizes that life as we know it on earth began somewhere in Africa—after this human migrated around the world. It is further theorized that the first humans emerged at least 100,000 years ago. Agriculture began over 10,000 years ago. And then in the 1400s and beyond, exploration from the British and other Europeans began.

The 1800s saw a large influx of British, Portuguese, Italian, French, and other Europeans on the Continent, especially after the Berlin Conference in 1884 when the “scramble for Africa” began.

Slavery was one reason the British 'pink cheeks' went to Africa. Though the Berlin Conference publicly spoke out against using Africans as slaves, the private side was less than horrified by the horrors of it. Other reasons included ivory from elephants, raw materials they couldn't find in Europe, and land itself. The illustration of the pink cheeks story showcases how many in Africa believed the land was not something that could be sold, but instead a gift from a higher power. The British had a different theory and was thrust upon the Africans that didn't have the ability to move out of the steamroller called the British empire.

Making European domination in Africa easier and less guilt-ridden was the common belief at the time among many elites that Africans were not as smart as the white man leading them to suffer chronic health problems. The eugenicist mindset helped Germany slaughter the Herero people in Namibia in the early 20th century

Later in the 20th century, the United Nations was hapless and the world was biased in its desire to ignore the mass geonicide that was taking place in Rwanda .. 100 days worth of fighting between the Tutsis and Hutus led to almost one mlilion people hacked and killed.. Belgium's history of eugenicist thinking assisted in making this easier decades earlier by dividing Hutus and Tutsis based on who was taller and who had thinner noses..

Clearly the conquests of the British Empire did more harm than good during the duration of rule (and beyond, with puppet governments often supported or even promoted by the Western world and European world, not to mention the constant ravaging of land that major global corporations take part in.)

The British imposed levies or taxes on people. The British changed the culture of the Africans that were affected by the British Empire. And as the author described with lament at the end of the article, even the language began to slowly disappear. The British clearly believed its religion and tradition to be superior to anything that the cultures of Africa produced--even though the cultures in Africa lived long with these traditions.

The Zulus resisted the British--often black and white films were made in the early 1900s showing the British to be intelligent and the Zulus to be insane. However a modern day humorous look at the Zulu wars was done by Monty Python the "Meaning of Life" when the Zulus scared British soldiers more worried about comfort and manicures. Humor works on many levels.

The British pink cheeks may not have helped Africa much--after all the deepest darkest parts of the continent remain that after generations of destruction of culture and ruination by slavery.

The British rule in Africa may not have helped Britain, either, in the long run. In the beginning, when ivory and slavery was traded as easily as modern day foods, it may have gone well. As the British took land, it was simple. As the 'pink cheeks' moved throughout the continent, though, they began to face skirmishes and constant opposition as the cultures began to reject foreign rule on their land.

Labels: Africa, Eugenics, History, Science