After Imperialism Palestine's Declaration of Independence Essay

Affects of Imperialism on the Former Colonies in Africa, Asia and the Middle EastAfter obtaining independence, post-colonial countries found themselves in dire circumstances; these newly liberated nations had to deal with the harsh realities left by colonial rulers. Colonizers had distorted traditional political systems, leaving emerging leaders caught between the past and future of their countries, while simultaneously dealing with high expectations from citizens who wanted tangible improvements in their living condition. What resulted was a peculiar sense of imperialism rooted deeply in developed nations attitudes towards post-colonial nations through symbolic, economic and political realms. For instance, Nelson Mandela emphasized how South Africa had been oppressed for generations due to racial apartheid and injustices passed down over generations. He laments how civilization preserves only a superficial veneer covering its jungle instinct that corrupt African people's diplomatic system as well as their morality. On another hand, Palestinians appealed to global solidarity by declaring they exist as an international nation since they have broken free from the occupying power of Israel. Moreover, Gandhi argued that modern civilization must be seen holistically beyond materialistic conceptions and he started leading movements encouraging civil disobedience of colonial laws to press for change in India plight. Taking into account such sources, it becomes evident makes it clear how the difficulties faced by post-independence countries were multifacetedinfused and influenced by a colonial legacy that refused to leave Africa, Asia and Middle Eastern regions until confronted forcefully.The difficulties faced by post-colonial nations in transforming former colonies into independent states were numerous and varied. Many of these nations, moreover, were conflicted by their imperial past. African states that had been British colonies held people who fought fornot againstthe British forces, which generally were filled with Indians and other colonials, including Africans and West Indians (Rodney 294). These people felt both ties to and anger towards their colonial lords. At the same time, those who retained a traditional, national culture had to do so in secrecy (Reciprocal Bases of National Culture and the Fight for Freedom). In due time, after a century or two of exploitation has passed there comes about a veritable emaciation of the stock of national culture (Reciprocal Bases of National Culture and the Fight for Freedom). This became a dominant challenge in the post-imperial era, as fragmentation and lack of identity led people to civil war.Thus, another challenge faced by post-colonial leaders was the legacy of political and social fragmentation that had been imposed on their countries by their former colonial rulers. Many of these countries…

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…all South Africans. In his book "The Struggle Is My Life" (1961), Mandela wrote that the ANC's goal was to "build a national democratic society in which the potential of the South African people can be fully developed."In addition to pursuing policies of economic development, post-colonial leaders also proposed various political and social reforms to address the legacy of fragmentation and inequality in their countries. For example, in the Palestinian Declaration of Independence (1988), the Palestinian leadership called for the creation of a democratic state that would guarantee the rights and freedoms of all its citizens, regardless of their ethnicity or religion.Similarly, Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of the Indian independence movement, argued that the key to overcoming the legacy of imperialism was to develop a society based on principles of non-violence, tolerance, and respect for diversity. In his writings, Gandhi emphasized the importance of creating a civilization that was based on the values of truth, justice, and compassion, rather than on the pursuit of power and wealth.Overall, the challenges faced by post-colonial nations were closely connected to the legacy of imperialism, and post-colonial leaders proposed a variety of solutions to address these challenges. These solutions included pursuing policies of economic development, political and social reform, and cultural renewal, in order to…