Colonialism and Solidarity

What do welfare states have to do with Europe’s colonial past?

22 November 2021 (Wall Street International)* – Colonialism is difficult to write about. History is highly political since, always written by the winners while the voices of the losers are smothered.

More than five hundred years after the ‘discovery’ of America by Christopher Columbus and the conquest of the Mexica capital of Tenochtitlan, discussions still continue as to whether the ‘black legend’ of the cruelties committed by the Spaniards is deserved, and whether the Mexicas correctly understood the intentions of Hernan Cortés.

The writings of the chroniclers are not necessarily trustworthy. Columbus, Cortés, Bernal Díaz, all may have tried to give a much rosier picture of their undertakings than what occurred in reality.

We know that De las Casas described many events he did not witness himself. As for the indigenous voices, one has to wonder how free they were to speak without risking the Inquisition.

What we know for sure

Two things, however, will not be contested.

First, the conquest of the Caribbean islands, of Mexico and of South America was extraordinarily cruel, as was the colonisation that followed it. The original people in North and South America were not peaceful and nature-loving either. War was an inherent fact of life. For the majorities who had survived the conquest, imported and unknown illnesses put an end to millions of lives.

Second, a huge amount of gold and silver was shipped to Europe. Spain used this wealth to wage wars and embellish its churches. It was not channelled towards efforts for modernisation; on the contrary, it strengthened the feudal structures of the country. In France, England and the Netherlands, foundations were laid for great fortunes, mainly thanks to the slave trade.

The new money also helped to finance the nascent industrial revolution. Later, with the beginning of the colonisation of Africa, Leopold II of Belgium, my country, was able to beautify its capital, Brussels. Any debts, however, were loaded onto the government.