Postcolonialism Notes 10.20.11

 

EQ: How do we react when something unethical appears to be in our best interests economically, socially, or politically?

 

• Killing non-combatants in a war
• Getting the test Qs beforehand to get a good grade
• Politician lying or misrepresenting the truth
• Slavery – people owning other people
• Murder, stealing, personal gains
• Depends on how unethical
• Politicians make it look like what they are doing is ethical
• Scale plays a role
• What extent people will go to for personal gain
• German genocide vs. Herero in Namibia
• Society pushes people to succeed and they go over the limits
• Depending on how unethical the decision is, more alternatives are present: the worse it is, the more alternatives
• Environment and its values/moral code plays a role
• Depends on who is asking us to be unethical
• Historical eras have different views of human rights
• People need to think critically: ethical decisions take effort
• When you call something slightly unethical, it is still unethical

 

What did you learn about decision-making?

• It's hard
• There are opposing views
• You have to compromise
• Take into account who you are dealing with
• You have to cooperate
• Stressful because some people won't be happy
• Consider all the options
• Weigh the pros and cons and decide what's best
• Know your point of view and what you believe in (grounded)
• Total dedication to decision – means giving up other things
• Don't make decisions on your own
• Be clear but be flexible
• You need to have a plan
• Figure out how flexible you can be
• Think critically, don't respond emotionally

 

Postcolonialism Notes 10.21.11

 

CHOICES OPTIONS: LEOPOLD'S CONGO 

 

Day 1, October 21, 2011

 

EQ: How do nations react when something unethical appears to be in their best interests politically, socially or economically?

 

Agenda:

 

1.  In pairs, complete your presentations.

2.  Each group presents – others take notes.

3.  Exit ticket: What did you learn from this activity that helps you understand the world today?

 

Objectives:

 

1.  Arguing points of view and supporting them.

2.  Taking notes on the arguments of others.

3.  Weighing the pros and cons of different arguments to make a decision.

 

Congo Reform Association – Lobby I

 

• Leopold was an evil person, disguised behind an appearance of slave abolition.
• In reality, in the Congo Free State, Kind Leopold's regime was cruel to people.  The rubber trade forced people into labor.
• Women were raped and forced into prostitution.
• Leopold allowed slavery to go on before doing what he promised and abolishing it.
• Famine spread because there were no people to work on farms: they were working on rubber plantations.
• Missionaries confirmed these events.
• British gov needs to take action and stop such atrocities.
• People are mistreated and King Leopold is hiding behind humanitarian intentions his true evil economic interests.
• The British gov needs to act immediately instead of waiting for other powers to cooperate.

 

Liverpool Chamber of Commerce – Lobby II

 

• Our main point is that most of GB relies on free trade.
• Restoring free Congo will benefit GB and us.
• The restriction on Congo state's trade spread to French Congo already.
• Free trade ennobles native people: natives benefit if they can own their property, determine for whom they want to work, decide their pay.
• In the long run, nobody will benefit from monopoly trading.
• Free trade needs to be restored in Congo.

 

King Leopold's Supporters – Lobby III

 

• The free Congo state has difficulties, and the enormous financial contribution of King Leopold benefited the country.
• People's living conditions were improved.
• Compulsory labor was used instead of taxes in areas where there was no currency.
• Africans were allowed to develop towards the advancement of EU.
• Congo benefited from railroad.
• Slavery existed before EU arrived, not a new notion.  Leopold ended the Swahili slave trade.
• Leopold hosted an anti-slavery conference, which proved his hatred of slavery.
• European doctors appeared in Congo because of Leopold's investments.
• ENG sounds jealous of our success: it arrived only after Congo started producing rubber.

 

Option I – British should act alone, now, and force change

 

• Indirect rule in Kenya was successful; we need to have a similar relationship in Congo.
• Atrocity and brute force look bad in the public opinion.
• Leopold's behavior in Congo is unethical.
• If we don't act now, a domino effect will damage our standing in the colonies.
• 800-1000 slaves are sold by the Congo people to be eaten – cannibalism is encouraged.
• Little to no regard for human life.
• Women are used as sex slaves.
• George Washington Williams left us his records.
• The longer we wait to take action, the worse the situation will get.
• Keeping good relationship with our international friends is important, but we cannot wait for others to make a decision: we are willing to take action even if nobody wants to support us.
• Other great powers may be afraid, and nobody is taking action.
• Since GB helped in humanitarian causes of the past, it will make sense this time to interfere on behalf of the Congolese people.
• We receive support from the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce.
• Leopold allows cruel treatment of the Congolese people.
• We cannot guarantee that Leopold's commitment is the truth.
• We need to step in, rescue the exploited natives, enforce immediate change, and put the guilty to justice.
• We signed the Berlin Act: at the moment, we are not at all concerned with "the moral and material well-being of the natives", thus we need to remind Belgium that Leopold is breaking the act.
• We are willing to unite with other powers, but we have already waited too long: we are trying to be leaders and initiate change.

 

Day 2, October 24, 2011

 

EQ: What do we need to do to leave the past behind and move forward into a better future?

 

Agenda:

 

1. Finish Congo debate.
2. Take notes on Congo 1904 to present.
3. Share thoughts on the EQ.

 

Objectives

 

1. Synthesize points of view to make a decision.
2. Note-taking.
3. Demonstrating understanding of the impact of the past on the present.

 

Option II – Cooperation with other great powers 

 

• By cooperation, we can convince other powers to come to our side of the argument.
• The international organizations (Red Cross) are already working towards advancement of human rights.
• Education is the key: as soon as we inform other powers of the atrocities, they will want to take action with us.
• Acting alone may be a disruption of the balance of power in EU, which will complicate relations for GB.
• A unified approach will put more pressure on King Leopold to stop the atrocities.
• The Berlin Act will be reinforced by united powers.
• The Congo Free State is bordered  by GER and FR territories, Germany and France need to be concerned, too, and we should encourage them to act.
• The world stability is disturbed by what is happening in the Congo; if we care about human rights, something needs to be done internationally.
• The problem in Congo happened because of multinational decisions, all nations need to do something to stop that.
• Cooperation and attention to human rights.

 

Option III – Focus on the British Empire and then Encourage Change

 

• King Leopold needs to be encouraged to conduct his affairs in a civilized manner
• If we act too strongly against Leopold, Belgium may turn to GER for support.
• We may experience Belgium's criticism of hypocrisy, since we have had colonial difficulties.
• We have internal problems, which we need to deal with.
• If we try to intervene, other colonies will try to interfere in our affairs.
• Our time and energy will be better used, if we pay attention to our economy.
• We can gently encourage change but it will be a hypocrisy to force Congo to change.

 

Responses to Option III

 

C.:

 

• We need to move from the guilt and the mistake of the past and enforce change.
• We have to consider the lives in the Congo right now.  We can't afford to wait and ignore the cries of these people.

 

S.:

 

• If this is a life and death situation, we should something.
• If other powers want to join, that's great.  But action needs to be taken immediately.

 

Responses to Option I

 

P.:

 

• It is true that something needs to happen; at the same time, unification is very important: more effective if there is unity.

 

K.:

 

• If one country goes in and takes action, a lot of people may be caught in cross-fire and more suffering will happen.

 

R.:

 

• Multinational approach will be beneficial for the trade.

 

M.:

 

• 75% of British trade is with non-British nations: if we upset all these countries and economies, we'll hurt our own economy and will have to go back to the slave trade.

 

A.:

 

• Leopold has invested so much money in his colony, he is not going to give it up.

 

What do you think should happen?  Who would you support personally?

 

A.: Option II

R.: Option II

L.: Option I

M.: Option II

L.: Option II

K.: Option II at a quicker pace

P.: Combination of Option I and II

S.: Option II with a deadline (who will act and how)

C.: Option I

A.: Option I