Culture an instrument of imperialism
Question: How is culture an instrument of imperialism?
Introduction
Edward Said (1935-2003) is considered to be one of the illustrious critics and philosophers of the late 20th century who has expounded the most critical concept in his collection of essays “Introduction to Culture and Imperialism” published in 1993 that there is a very subtle relationship between culture and imperialism. He looks into the relationship between culture and imperialism from a different angle as he has got different instruments of culture for imperialism.
Fragile culture of the natives
At the very outset of the essay, Said says that the culture of the third world is very fragile which was the strength of the imperialists. The imperialists always left contest among the natives. Said considers that supine or inert natives were the main strength of the imperialists.
Ethical power of culture
The imperialists of Britain and France were so-called light bearers and makers of civilization. They went to spread the light of education and religion that was not only so-called but also namely to make the people of overseas colonies fool. In Said’s analysis, the search of trade and commerce and civilizing missions in India and Africa provided an ethical power to the colonialists but they went to the countries for looting and dominating.
“Culture conceived in this way can become a protective enclosure:
check your politics at the door before you enter it.”
Literature as an institution of culture
It is universally accepted that literature is the mirror of society. Said opines though poetry, fiction, and philosophy teach how to practice and venerate culture, they discourse colonialism in an indirectly deep way. As a result, most professional humanists have been unable to connect between the prolonged practice of imperialism and the culture of literature. Here in this essay, Said especially talks about narrative fictions, novels, which play a vital role in the expansion of imperialism in a camouflage of culture.
Click here: For all the notes of Literary Criticism
Immigrating culture
Immigrating culture is an instrument of post-colonial capitalism. Edward Said relates that imperialism exists even in the 20th century but not in the shape of the 18th and 19th centuries because in a fine of the essay he asserts:
“This is a book about past and present, about us and them.”
Conclusion
To sum up, Edward Said is such a genius who reveals the secret of improved culture as the instrument of imperialism and capitalism in a convincing and fabulous way so that the countries of this universe can enjoy freedom and sovereignty being aware of the culture.
