Quote:
Originally Posted by jwb
The whole situation just goes to show that as unpopular as imperialism is, when you withdraw the influence of the global empire in particular sphere of influence or region, often they will just be at the mercy of whatever regional power they fall under, rather than being autonomous.
We thought when Britain gave up Hong Kong as a colony that was paving the way for their independent future. China has other ideas, and it's their sphere of influence.
Same with what happened after the cold war died down, we got distracted and bogged down by middle eastern wars. Russia decided to go ahead and invade Georgia and then later annex Crimea.
It's tempting to think if we just stopped all this evil empire **** the world would be a better place. Yet we're only one player in a league of aspiring empires. Having the top player withdraw doesn't stop the game.
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^ I agree with you jwb, about the sad realities of the post-colonial, post-cold-war world, although it's not always about one evil empire being swapped for another evil empire.
There are so many disappointing examples of what happens when an "evil empire" withdraws: in many African countries, and in Yugoslavia, the newly independent countries were quite capable of generating their very own hell without some replacement empire to help them along. Historically, the dream of a golden era of equality and independence has all too often degenerated into repressive national leaders or civil war. That whole bitter Balkan war that crippled places like Bosnia and Serbia had been held in check for decades by Russia. And from Rwanda to the Congo to Zimbabwe, the last 40 years or so have been marked by endemic bloodshed and corruption.
To me what's strange about Hong Kong is the notion right at the starting point, that Britain could have "leased" HK from the Chinese: in it's way, as bizarre a notion as Trump "buying" Greenland. And now the blameless citizens of HK are suffering the consequences of that arrogant Sino-Brit arrangement. Not to make light of their dilemma, but the poor HK protesters must be secretly thinking,
"If only we were still a British colony we wouldn't be in this mess." And in that respect they are no different from Americans, who are probably thinking the exact same thing as they cry themselves to sleep every night under the Trump presidency.
