Amit's Blog

Unveiling the Shadows: Colonialism's Enduring Grip   Picture strolling through a 19th-century fair where humans are caged like curiosities, or glossy posters peddling empires as grand adventures—welcome to colonialism's dark theater. This essay unpacks human zoos that paraded Africans as "primitives," slick propaganda machines romanticizing exploitation, and racial hierarchies labeling Africans "savage," Indians "stagnant," and East Asians a "Yellow Peril." We'll trace resistance from Gandhi's non-violence to Fanon's revolutionary fire, the decline amid wars and rights awakenings, and post-colonial scars: Africa's sluggish growth at 1.2% annual GDP per capita (1950-2020) versus East Asia's 5.8%. Did colonial labels spark a Pygmalion effect, turning biases into self-fulfilling prophecies? Backed by data, quotes, and studies, we explore how these echoes fuel modern inequities, urging us to dismantle them for true equ...

Unveiling the Myth: Capitalism and the Illusion of Free Market “Capitalism is agnostic about political systems” (Rodrik, 2011) The conflation of "capitalism" and "free markets" obscures fundamental differences between these concepts, particularly when viewed through the lens of the colonial era (1500–1950 CE). Capitalism, defined by private ownership and profit-driven production, thrived on coercive systems like slavery and mercantilism, which were antithetical to free markets—idealized systems of voluntary exchange with minimal state intervention. This analysis delves into the colonial era’s economic distortions, capitalism’s growth within unfree systems, and the deliberate narrative equating the two, which serves vested interests. The note critiques how this conflation legitimizes exploitation, resists regulation, and obscures inequality. Historical case studies, modern parallels, and philosophical reflections highlight the ethical and practical challenges of ...

  Colonial Structures and Ethnic Rivalries: The Economic Dominance of Indians and African Exclusion in Kenya The economic ascendancy of Indian immigrants in Kenya during the colonial era (late 19th century to 1960s) and the marginalization of native Africans created a volatile ethnic and economic divide that shaped Kenya’s post-independence trajectory. Indians, primarily from Gujarat and Punjab, transformed from railway laborers to dominant merchants, controlling commerce and urban real estate. By 1960, they owned 75–80% of Kenya’s retail businesses, despite being only 2% of the population (176,000 out of 8.6 million). “Indians were the commercial linchpin of colonial Kenya, but their prosperity sowed discord,” writes historian Robert Gregory (Gregory, 1993, p. 23). Africans, restricted to agriculture and denied education, faced systemic exclusion. The British racial hierarchy exacerbated tensions, positioning Indians as intermediaries. Post-independence Africanization policies a...

Colonial Legacies: The Rise of Indian Immigrants and African Marginalization in East Africa   The economic success of Indian immigrants in East Africa, particularly Uganda, during the colonial and early post-independence periods (late 19th century to 1960s) contrasted sharply with the marginalization of native Africans, leading to tensions that culminated in the 1972 expulsion of Asians under Idi Amin. Indian success stemmed from colonial policies positioning them as economic intermediaries, cultural practices like community networks and education, and access to urban markets. Africans faced systemic barriers, including restricted land access, limited education, and confinement to agriculture, which delayed their economic mobility. The British racial hierarchy exacerbated tensions, placing Indians above Africans but below Europeans. The 1972 expulsion aimed to empower Africans but led to a 20% GDP drop due to mismanagement of redistributed businesses. This essay explores these ...