The Role of Imperialism in the Evolving of Today's History - Essay Example

It is the belief of this student that the following statement is entirely true and representative of the way in which current and past history have been molded: “Imperialism has been the most powerful force in world history over the last four or five centuries, carving up whole continents while oppressing indigenous peoples and obliterating entire civilizations” (Parenti, 2012). The reason that this particular student has for standing behind such a bold statement has to do with the fact that the ramifications of imperialism continue to be represented within the modern world.

For instance, if one looks at the modern-day chaos that exists in so many parts of Africa, it is clear and apparent that many of these nations are still struggling with the destruction in culture, resources, and hardships that imperialism had left them with. By much the same token, part of the explanation for the ongoing tension between East and West, exhibited in part by the scourge of Islamic terrorism, is due to the colonization experience that many parts of the Middle East had and the liberties that were taken by Western colonizers during the decades, and centuries, that they controlled these parts of the world. Read More