(Outside Reading #12) Imperialism

I didn't know what imperialism was or was involved with so I found an text written about the subject. Imperialism was very powerful, and has been over the last 4 or 5 centuries. Imperialism is the cause of oppressing indigenous peoples and even entire civilizations! One doesn't really hear about it often and attracts seldom attention from the media, academics, and political leaders. Michael Parenti quotes imperialism as, "The process whereby the dominant politico-economic interests of one nation expropriate for their own enrichment the land, labor, raw materials, and markets of another people." Europeans were among the first to experience imperialism in the 19th century. Today, imperialism is not a big issue in regards to the United States. But many people around the world in fact charge the United States with being an imperialist power. I am very glad and I feel lucky that our country does not have to deal with much imperialism. I like our system of government and how our country is ruled. If our country were under imperialism I think life would be much more structured and not as free. 

Parenti, Michael. "Imperialism 101." Michael Parenti political archive. 11 March 2009. <http://www.michaelparenti.org/imperialism101.html>.