<p>Even that is too generous because although Latin America was not officially colonized we enslaved them by controlling the governments. So in summation the reason our economies are doing fine is not because some form of peaceful capitalism, but because we imperialized the rest of the goddamn world. And noone can reject that idea sanely.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Actually, I just did some stuff in Stata that demonstrates that the farther countries are from the Soviet core, the better off they were in the long-run, both in reform and corruption. The data has high statistical significance, too…</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Perhaps. But would you argue that Hong Kong is worse off than the rest of China? How about Macau? </p>
<p>Yes, imperialism and colonialism was bad…but it also had some good externalities.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Of course not, but you’re acting like this was something limited to the Europeans. The Chinese were demanding tribute of Asia long before the Europeans even discovered that colonialism could work.</p>
<p>“Yes, imperialism and colonialism was bad…but it also had some good externalities”</p>
<p>The mantra of the right. Brush off imperialism because it had some good benefits for us. The only reason we have a better economy is because of said imperialism. Do you deny it?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Actually, more like a historical fact.</p>
<p>I never said that imperialism was good. In fact I said, quite clearly, without any sort of sidestepping, that it’s bad. However, it is an interesting issue that many of the former colonies of Europe actually benefited from European control. Hong Kong and Macau were both far ahead of the rest of China for a long time. Much of Korean industrialization was started by Japan (despite Japanese imperialism making European-style look like a walk in the park.)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This is perhaps true. However, it’s not like imperialism is just a European characteristic.</p>
<p>Latin America has benefited a lot from American imperialism too. And the Middle East benefited loads from the way UK redrew the maps and intervened there. Ya? Didn’t seem too great there? Western imperialism, being global, was unprecedented.</p>