Political Anthropology Essays Example

The readings provided an insight some of the negative changes that have occurred as a result of colonialism and economic progress. It left the reader with a clear understanding of the unnatural consequences that result from being forced or leaving behind the hunter gather nomad lifestyle. It was very poignant that the reading mentioned a statistic about 98 percent of human history has been spent living in tribes. This is something that most people forget in their day to day lives. Colonialism forced small populations that were their own experts in environmental stewardship to work cash crops or be slave labour to buy goods or cheap imports and to support the system of a rich minority. People were often forced or had no choice but to work for wages in terrible conditions. This was achieved through taxing of tribal land and many other methods to make people work to pay the colonial hierarchy. The result has seen social, environmental and anthropological changes that have been devastating to the planet and most people.
Is economic progress really beneficial to society? It can be argued that economic progress has resulted in so many negative social consequences because of an inequitable distribution of land, power and resources that has benefited kings, prime ministers, presidents, CEO’s and those in powerful positions. Furthermore, research on tribes undergoing changes as a result of colonial influences shown a decrease in health, malnutrition and dental problems as a result of dietary changes from cheap import food or due to food from agricultural land being exported and people being left with poor agricultural land. Further changes include crime because of a breakdown of traditional tribal structures. When I look around me I can see this effects and I can imagine people living in relative peace without the need for so many material possessions.
Colonialism has also resulted in conflicts over land and other resources by tribes such as the Hutu and Tutsi. The church or colonial governments have claimed racial superiority of one tribe over the other so that colonial interests could be protected.