Liberalism and African imperialism
Q.1
Multicultural societies exist mainly because of cultural encounters and intermingle. Most cultural aspects were discovered during colonization or after the migration of people from their native land. As the diverse culture continue to coexist, some developed superiority making other cultures inferior, which led to social discrimination. Several activists, including John Locke, insist on the importance of liberalization. Liberalism, therefore, is a philosophical concept tradition that defines freedom through equality and autonomy. Liberty can be linked-to enjoying freedom individuality without fear regardless of social aspects such as race, religion, or any demographic divisions. This essay analyzes liberalism, arguments, elements, and principles by explaining sources and different blind liberalism.
Liberalism ensures that discrimination based on cultural identity and religion is rare, emphasizing people being equally and fairly. In a similar argument, different blind liberalism is discovered to aim at maintaining moral worth in government and public institutions. Therefore, difference blind liberalism takes ethnic and social differences as a private matter than does not concern public institutions or government facilities. The two principles explain freedom of choice through liberalism: (A).it is unjust to discriminate between people based on considerations that are irrelevant to the situation.
(B). It is unjust to discriminate between people based on the consideration that is not a matter of choice.
In principle A, there is a comparison between the relevance of discrimination claim to the reality of a situation. For instance, the woman who complains because of her own mistake stands right because of individualism. She practiced her freedom of choosing not to write an application letter justifying her actions. But for liberalism, it is unjust to consider her complaint because as she is held responsible, yet she cannot be discriminated against because of her characteristics and behavior. Principle B states that discriminating somebody because of their selection is unjust and uncalled. About freedom of choice, there has to be a consideration of why an individual settles for a particular option. To better understand these principles, which define exemptions liberalism such as different blind liberalism, four arguments give a comprehension about it.
The first argument is based on the cultural exemption, which justifies how cultural minorities are treated differently. The cultural minorities somehow evade difference blind liberalism to protect their identity and practices. Autonomy argument is another argument explaining why there has to be freedom of choice to actions and socio-cultural practices, including religion. The third argument, which is the unequal impact, however, differs from difference blind liberalism because the effects of equality and freedom may not be favorable to everyone. The fourth one is called analogy arguments which lead two extremes to a common conclusion that is morally right. The discussion about liberalism generates physical resources, which are decided by economic resources that are affected by cultural resources before making a solid decision. Liberal philosophers such as Margalit a Raz explain the importance of cultural traditions, which give individuals the freedom to clinch into the culture of their preference. The duo, concerning liberalism, argues that having a cultural identity enables one to practice autonomy.
Conclusively, the concept of liberalism is vast, with varied explanations. The two principles of liberalism determine most discrimination cases, mostly decided by the four arguments. Resources for making a decision are linked to liberalism to be on the right side of societal stands, especially by cultural resources.
Q.2
Imperialism to Africa dates back to the Victorian era, where racial profiling and discrimination was done openly. In the 18th century, the cultural encounter between whites and blacks from Benin led to characterizing the blacks as independent dark and dangerous minds, which needed illumination by the civilized Europeans. The various Eurocentrism accounts were closely linked to travelers, missionaries, and civil servants, as shown by Benin’s artworks, which were documented in books, museums, and newspapers in Europe and America. The native people were seen differently because of differences in beliefs, appearance, and socio-cultural practices, closely associated with witchcraft. Scholars such as Robert Knox differentiate races according to species, which vary in terms of quality and different abilities. According to him, the dark race is perceived to have inferiority in their physical and psychological nature. In Victorian times, imperialism justified hierarchies such that the Europeans hold on supremacy over industrial and lordly powers. This essay aims to elaborate on the causes of Victorian attitudes towards black people regarding scientific discoveries and civilization.
The first cause of British imperialism is what was termed civilization’s mission to enable black people to live beyond superstitions and adopt the Europeans’ modernity. Black Benin people were treated as backward individuals who needed a lot of effort to redeem them from rooted ignorance. Like the Benin case, the native people were treated as having an inability to adapt and respond to changes such as environmental and industrial evolution. Imperial power was, therefore, legitimized to stimulate civilization through perfecting black people skills in craftsmanship and aesthesis. As a result, European battled out to gain imperial power. Most of the black populated countries continued to suffer stereotyping as they were referred to as illiterate and gauche. Their ability to give perfect art was always questionable because they were seen to lack technical skills and abilities. As the blacks in Benin were on the rise to display their ideas, scientific approaches lowered them to just backward individuals with expertise in beliefs and practices.
The encyclopedia of Britannica expounds on the entry of Negro concerning race. The author, T.A Joyce, links the Negros to the evolutionary plane, where Negro race is attributed to mental capabilities and cultural differences defined by anatomical science. The black people have been described to have undergone natural selection, which is influenced by the surrounding environment, thus resulting in their racial progress and development. The black inferiority made them appear not to complete anything unless they get European inspiration, including craftsmanship. Such sentiments are feared to spike racist stereotypes, especially to Africans; thus, getting races at the equilibrium of equality becomes a hard and unsuccessful task.
Conclusively, the black people, especially in Africa, were treated as incapable individuals unless they get a backup from the western culture, i.e., through Christianity or industrialization. Benin was the few countries liberated from a negative Victorian attitude by white supremacy. The primary reason for stereotyping of the black race was to gain power over industries and the environment hence winning economic hierarchy by Europeans. African imperialism was as an excuse to free them from backwardness and superstitions.