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Refutation of the Capitalist Western Thought by Hizb Ut Tahrir

5.2 Historical Background of Western Colonialism

The origins of Western colonialist imperialism can be traced back to the bitter rivalry between the kings of Europe, during the Christian era. This conflict was despite their formal loyalty to the single Pope, who was common amongst them. European powers then explored sea routes, traversing beyond the Eastern Mediterranean to reach the Indian Subcontinent, specifically. This also led the Europeans to explore the Americas, whereby their lust for personal enrichment led to atrocities perpetrated upon the powerless people of those lands.

Atrocities were also perpetrated in certain regions of Asia and Africa. Furthermore, Europe attained a golden opportunity when the Ottoman State fell from being the leading state of the world, in the twelfth Hijri century. Thereupon, the abundant wealth of Asia and Africa was suddenly open for European colonialism.

European nations by this stage had become global powers and the fierce rivalry between them naturally turned into a global conflict. Thereby, they entered into military conflicts over what they came to newly possess. After the devastating Napoleonic Wars, the major European powers convened in order to put in place a mechanism to regulate imperialist rivalry amongst themselves. It was to avoid direct, open war. Although the modus vivendi, the Entente Cordiale and the Triple Entente (French: Entente - friendly agreement) brought peace within Europe, they constituted the reason for the greatest colonialist invasions in human history. This is because it enabled the European powers to focus their attention to acquire almost the entire world.

The final chapter in the story of Western colonialist imperialism began with the Second World War, which led to the emergence of the United States as a new super power, the new leading state. It led to the forced dismantlement of European colonialist empires. Subsequently, the spoils of these empires have become a hotbed of American exploitation. The Bretton Woods Institutions, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, amongst others, were the primary elements of this project. This was accompanied by the cultural tyranny of the US around the world. The US is still expanding its military presence in nations one after another, by using the same justifications used by its European predecessors. The United States builds military bases throughout the world. It uproots local regimes, whilst reshaping the ruling classes of those lands, to ensure their loyalty to American dictates. Today’s international system still serves as a tool to regulate the rivalry of major powers, whilst simultaneously providing the necessary tools to subjugate the world to their demands. The major powers of the previous European entente were replaced by the five permanent members of the Security Council of the United Nations. They are the powerful competitors that jointly oversee their collective exploitation of the entire human race.

Reference: Refutation of the Capitalist Western Thought - Hizb Ut Tahrir

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