Colonialism And Its Effects On The Colonization Of Foreign...

Colonialism is broadly defined and universally acknowledged as the process of occupying and gaining control over foreign lands. This process has been associated with the political expansion of countries as well as the immense oppression of indigenous peoples. The main question that guided the research for this literature review is how were European settlers successful in colonizing indigenous lands? This question is instructive as to which methods western colonizers utilized were most effective in invading foreign lands and decimating the existence of the host culture. Responses to this question allow for the analysis of imperialist systems as well as their enduring effects, in order to indicate and dismantle the presence of these oppressive practices in todayÊ »s society. The literature that examines the process of colonization discuss these methods in three major categories; coercion through violence and decline in population, trade and economic development, and cultural decimatio n. The first argument discusses the coercion of the native people to accommodate the desires of the western settlers through violence and the reduction of their population. The second theory asserts that colonialism was achieved through capitalist efforts to develop native economies and establishing trade relations. The final theory argues that the elimination of the native identity, culture, religion, and language through religious conversion and western instruction is the most integral component