Critical Thinking On The Evidences Of The Evils Of Neo-Colonialism

After the World War II, revolutionary governments are thriving in many countries that were previously colonized by imperialist countries. Previous colonies that suffered countless atrocities from the colonial era started to rise and build their own governments. However, as shown in the documentary film entitled “The Power Principle – Empire,” these governments even during the Cold War were overthrown by the United States of America which is a rising imperialist. It had overthrown many governments through tactics using the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and its anti-communist propaganda. After the Cold War, America has assumed the role of being the “international police” which it used in gradually advancing its hegemony worldwide. The film showed the evils that were caused by the hegemonic rule of America, the wielder of the neo-colonial power up to this day.
Evidences shown in the film include the genocide and many other atrocities in Guatemala during the Cold War towards the eventual overthrow of their revolutionary government. It was a post-colonial government that aims to serve its people justly. However, the revolutionary government was a threat to America’s imperialist interest. America then hired the best propagandist to bombard all the mainstream media against what they call, “rising communism in Guatemala.” The Guatemalan government was not even linked to any communist countries during that time. The country was just starting a new government that will serve its people well. The propaganda against the rising communism in Guatemala eventually divided its people. It polarized the left wing and the right wing. Worse, the Guatemalan indigenous peoples were exterminated due to the atrocities caused by the polarization. Eventually, the right wing ousted the left wing government. The United States then broadcasted that it salutes the people of Guatemala for overthrowing a communist government. American propaganda flooded the media that for first time, the people liberated their selves against a communism.
Following the overthrow of the Guatemalan revolutionary government, it also happened in Congo. Congo like Guatemala was liberated from a colonial government and for the first time, it was starting to build its independent government with its first president, Patrice Lumumba. His stand however that the vast wealth of Congo should be for the benefit of the Congolese people alarmed the west powers including Belgium and the US. America denied his plea for help in the continued and escalating presence of Belgian army in Congo. His stance for genuine independence claimed his life. The United States CIA tainted him to be a communist that would start a brewing anti-communism sentiment against him just because he asked for Soviet Union’s help.
The above mentioned examples show how the United States utilizes its power and machinery to remain the world’s super power. It continues to advance its campaign against communism because it threatens its privilege to amass resources from the developing countries. In the case of Congo, the CIA assassinated Lumumba because if Congo has truly gained its independence, it would have affected the many businesses of America in the said country. Up to this day, the US maintained its neo-colonial power by strengthening its military and political power to intervene in internal conflicts of countries and eventually controlling the said country’s politics that favors their interests. In the case of the Philippines, the civil society up to this day is shouting of anti-US imperialist because. The creation of the laws of the land is influenced by the US government through its puppet government officials. For generation, the US has amassed resources from the Philippines in exchange of sprinkled foreign debts. It has maintained the US military presence in this country through visiting forces agreement. Moreover, it has explicitly campaigned against the revolutionary forces growing due to massive exploitation and oppression. This neo-colonial pattern of the US started during its infancy period as a country of power. It has maintained this state and will continue to maintain such through its campaign for being a model of a true democratic country. In its propaganda, anything against its hegemony is communism or extremism. It will not abandon this hegemony because its resources today are coming from the third world countries through extraction of resources and cheap labor.

Works Cited

Durrutix. “The Power Principle – I: Empire.” Online video clip. Openfilm. Web. 9 Feb. 2015.