Settler colonialism

Settler colonialism is a policy of conquering a land to send settlers in order to shape its demographic similarly as in the metropole. This practice contrasts with exploitation colonialism, a policy of conquering distant lands not with the intention to supplant its population, but rather to exploit its natural and human resources. A motherland might pursue the first goal in order to lighten the pressure its growing population apply to its home territory, and shape other parts of the world according to its image, thus extending its territorial continuity and preserving it indefinitely. The reasons that push a country to choose the second option are to attain more immediate benefits, extracting cheap raw materials and enslaving directly or indirectly its inhabitants.

Imperialist powers may opt for one type or the other, or both at the same time. Perhaps the most clear example of this difference is the British Empire, whose white population settled mainly North America and Oceania, exterminating in the process the native population and building modern infrastructures, and disregarded the Indian subcontinent and Africa, already densely populated. Those areas, instead, were ruled by a small colonial population, and their economies were oriented exclusively around agriculture and extraction aimed at export to the United Kingdom.

Who are the settlers?

Mostly Europeans in origin, the settlers are those who traveled from European nation-states to comparatively underdeveloped territories with the aim of living there permanently, displacing the indigenous population and imposing social structures of their own making. Many of the home countries gained greatly from their colonized territories, including in particular the British and Spanish empires. While some territories gained independence and the indigenous people gained some freedoms, rarely did those liberties reach the point in which a full participation in important affairs was possible. Examples of countries of origin and settler colonies are as follows:

*Portugal (Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, "see Portuguese Empire")
*Spain (Latin-America except Brazil, "see Spanish Empire")
*Netherlands (South Africa, Netherlands Antilles, "see Dutch empire")
*France (Quebec, Algeria, Cote d'Ivoire, "see French colonial empires")
*Great Britain and Ireland (United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, "see British Empire")

While some of these countries still have control over their colonial settlements, many of the territories that were once subject to the power of some other nation have now gained de jure independence. In spite of this, it might be argued that de facto independence is yet to be achieved, as ties of dependence are yet to be severed. In other cases, while those independent territories are not subject to external influence to the extent that they were before, the population of those territories still experiences considerable turmoil derived from economical disparity (see Gini coefficient) and poor living conditions derived from the past rule of a colonial power, population explosion and rampant corruption.clear

Racism and settler colonialism

Racism often pervaded the settlers of new territories, which in many cases resulted in the destruction, or in the best cases, complete assimilation, of the culture of the original inhabitants of the original peoples of the colonised territories.

See also: Casta, White Australia policy, Apartheid

Settler colonialism in Africa

Due to the cohesive and integrated character of white settlers in countries such as South Africa and Rhodesia, a new and complicated set of conditions that lead to exploitation of the indigenous people by the white minority was created. The elite of the country controls almost all (if not all) the relevant aspects of the political and economical life of the country. The most evident result of this domination was apartheid.

Settler colonialism in Oceania

Australia is a settler society. Europeans came and settled in Australia, in many cases displacing Indigenous Australians. The Indigenous Australian population, estimated at about 350,000 at the time of European settlement, [Smith, L. (1980), The Aboriginal Population of Australia, Australian National University Press, Canberra] declined steeply for 150 years following settlement, mainly because of infectious disease combined with forced re-settlement and cultural disintegration. The removal of children, that some historians and Indigenous Australians have argued could be considered to constitute genocide by some definitions, [Tatz, C. (1999). " [http://www.aiatsis.gov.au/rsrch/rsrch_dp/genocide.htm Genocide in Australia] ", AIATSIS Research Discussion Papers No 8, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Canberra] may have made a contribution to the decline in the indigenous population. Such interpretations of Aboriginal history are disputed by some as being exaggerated or fabricated for political or ideological reasons. [Windschuttle, K. (2001). " [http://www.newcriterion.com/archive/20/sept01/keith.htm# The Fabrication of Aboriginal History] ", The New Criterion Vol. 20, No. 1, September 20.] This debate is known within Australia as the History Wars. Following the 1967 referendum, the Federal government gained the power to implement policies and make laws with respect to Aborigines. Traditional ownership of land — native title — was not recognised until 1992, when the High Court case "Mabo v Queensland (No 2)" overturned the notion of Australia as "terra nullius" at the time of European occupation.

"See also: White Australia policy"

Settler colonialism in Asia

Since its establishment, the People's Republic of China has encouraged settlers to live in its sparsely populated border territory, specifically in Tibet, East Turkestan and Inner Mongolia. This has been accomplished with much state assistance, for example through organisation such as the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. The indigenous populations of these areas, who are ethnically (and sometimes religiously) distinct from the majority Han Chinese often resent the influx of immigrants which is causing great changes in the demographics of the regions. For example, the original Mongol inhabitants are now very much in the minority in Inner Mongolia, and ethnic Tibetans and Uyghurs are already minorities in most of their cities. This resentment has often led to violence, most recently during the 2008 Tibetan unrest. The fear of being made minorities in their own countries within their lifetimes is a strong spur to the Tibetan and Uyghur separatist movements.

Israel was described as "a colonial settler-state" by Maxime Rodinson, a French Marxist historian, in a 1967 article. [Rodinson, Maxime. "Israel, fait colonial?" "Les Temps Moderne", 1967. Republished in English as "Israel: A Colonial Settler-State?", New York, Monad Press, 1973.] [ [http://www.thenation.com/doc/20041213/shatz The Interpreters of Maladies: Maxime Rodinson and Jacques Derrida] , "The Nation", November 24, 2004.] Jamil Hilal, a Palestinian sociologist, writer and member of the Palestinian National Council who lives in the West Bank, draws parallels between the South African settler colonialism and Israel, arguing that "as in Southern Africa, stretches of land were acquired by the Zionist settlers [...] and their Arab tenants thrown out" [archive.lib.msu.edu/DMC/African%20Journals/pdfs/Utafiti/vol1no1/aejp001001004.pdf] . He also argues that the Israeli case has in common with South Africa a "dispossession" of the indigenous population of their land by Europeans [archive.lib.msu.edu/DMC/African%20Journals/pdfs/Utafiti/vol1no1/aejp001001004.pdf] . Lorenzo Veracini, an Australian scholar from the
National University in Canberra argues that Israel could celebrate its anti-colonial and anti-British struggle exactly because it was able to establish a number of colonial relationships within and without the borders of 1948 [ [http://www.borderlands.net.au/vol6no2_2007/veracini_settler.htm b o r d e r l a n d s e-journal ] ] . However, Veracini states that "the remaining possibilities remain potentially available [i.e. the prospect of a future evacuation of settlers from areas of the West Bank, and accommodation of a Palestinian Israeli autonomy within the institutions of the Israeli state] ".

Ambassador Rastam Mohd Isa, former permanent representative of Malaysia to the United Nations has condemned "the continuing and escalating Israeli military campaign against the Palestinian people, in particular the wilful killing of civilians, including extrajudicial executions; demolition of homes and paralyzing closures; excessive and indiscriminate use of force, and "continuing settler colonial activities" [ [http://www.un.int/malaysia/NAM/SC14Octo3NAM.html Situation in the Middle East - Palestine ] ]

Settler colonialism in Latin-America

In the case of Mexico, the Mexican independence movement was initiated by "criollos" who wanted to seize the power from the Spanish settlers. Miguel Hidalgo used banners with the slogans which included "Long live Fernando VII!, Long live the Americas and death to the corrupt government!".

Thus, the independence movement was not so much aimed at breaking off Mexico's ties to Spain as it was to seize power from a corrupt elite to claim it for a new elite in Mexico. Many years later a popular uprising would be triggered by the past existence of the "castas" system, a very concentrated land ownership, an economical system in which majority of the population lived in extreme poverty, and deep social unrest.

A result of the cultural heritage of the Spanish in Mexico was a deeply troubled history starting with Mexico's independence. After that, it resulted in a dominant party system, in which a single political party controlled all affairs in a ruthless and irresponsible manner for 70 years. clear

European diasporas

Nations and regions outside of Europe with significant populations of European ancestry [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2075.html Ethnic groups by country.] Statistics (where available) from CIA Factbook.] :

*Africa (see Whites in Africa)
**flagicon|RSA South Africa (Whites in South Africa) - 9.6% of the population [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sf.html#People South Africa: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|NAM Namibia - 6% of the population [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/wa.html#People Namibia: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|FRA Réunion (Franco-Réunionnaise) approx. 25% of the population [ [http://www.lvlr.net/crocvl/2006/html/reunion_island.html Réunion Island] ]
**flagicon|ZIM Zimbabwe (Whites in Zimbabwe)
**flagicon|KEN Kenya (Whites in Kenya)
**flagicon|ALG Algeria (Pied-noir)
**flagicon|MUS Mauritius (Franco-Mauritian)
**flagicon|CIV Côte d'Ivoire (French people) [ [http://www.intute.ac.uk/sciences/worldguide/html/921_people.html Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)] ]
**flagicon|SEN Senegal [ [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2862.htm Senegal] , About 50,000 Europeans (mostly French) and Lebanese reside in Senegal, mainly in the cities.]
**flagicon|BWA Botswana [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bc.html#People Botswana: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|ESP Canary Islands (Spaniards)
**flagicon|SHN Tristan da Cunha
**flagicon|SWZ Swaziland - 3% of the population [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/wz.html#People Swaziland: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|TUN Tunisia [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ts.html#People Tunisia: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]

*Asia
**flagicon|IND India (Anglo-Indian)
**flagicon|LKA Sri Lanka (Burghers)
**flagicon|RUS Siberia (Russians) [Fiona Hill, [http://www.theglobalist.com/printStoryId.aspx?StoryId=3727 Russia — Coming In From the Cold?] , The Globalist, 23 February 2004]
**flagicon|KAZ Kazakhstan (Russians in Kazakhstan, Germans of Kazakhstan) - 30% of the population [Robert Greenall, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4420922.stm Russians left behind in Central Asia] , BBC News, 23 November 2005.]
**flagicon|UZB Uzbekistan - 5.5% of the population [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uz.html#People Uzbekistan: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|KGZ Kyrgyzstan - 13.5% of the population [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kg.html#People Kyrgyzstan: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA] [ [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2006/02/mil-060215-irin02.htm KYRGYZSTAN: Economic disparities driving inter-ethnic conflict] ]
**flagicon|TKM Turkmenistan - 4% of the population [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tx.html#People Turkmenistan: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3054509.stm Turkmen pledge on Russian rights] , BBC News]
**flagicon|TJK Tajikistan [ [http://countrystudies.us/tajikistan/23.htm Tajikistan - Ethnic Groups] ]
**flagicon|AZE Azerbaijan [ [http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/pp083003.shtml Southern Caucasus: Facing Integration Problems, Ethnic Russians Long For Better Life] ]
**flagicon|GEO Georgia (Russians in Georgia) [ [http://www.rferl.org/content/article/1071955.html Georgia: Ethnic Russians Feel Insulated From Tensions] , Radio Free Europe]
**flagicon|HKG Hong Kong [HK Census." [http://www.censtatd.gov.hk/hong_kong_statistics/statistical_tables/index.jsp?htmlTableID=139&excelID=&chartID=&tableID=139&ID=&subjectID=1 HK Census] ." "Statistical Table." Retrieved on 2007-03-08.]
**flagicon|MAC Macau (Macanese people)
**flagicon|PRC China (Ethnic Russians in China)
**flagicon|PHI The Philippines (Filipinos of American descent)
**flagicon|SGP Singapore (Eurasians in Singapore)
**flagicon|IDN Indonesia (Indo people)

*The Middle East
**flagicon|ISR Israel (Ashkenazim, Sephardim)

*North America, including Central America and the Caribbean
**flagicon|GRL Greenland - 12% of the population [ [http://www.stalvik.com/Engelska/laegreenland.htm Greenland] ]
**flagicon|CAN Canada - 80% of the population
**flagicon|USA United States of America (White American) - 75.1% of the population, including Hispanic/Non-Hispanic Whites
**flagicon|MEX Mexico [ [http://www.britannica.com/ebc/article-9373623 North America - Britannica Concise Encyclopedia - The online encyclopedia you can trust! ] ] (White Mexican) - 9-15% of the population [ [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-27384/Mexico Mexico :: Ethnic groups - Britannica Online Encyclopedia ] ] [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mx.html#People Mexico: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|BHS Bahamas - 12% of the population [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bf.html#People Bahamas: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|BRB Barbados (White Barbadian) - 4% of the population [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bb.html#People Barbados: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|BMU Bermuda - 34.1% of the population [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bd.html#People Bermuda: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|CYM Cayman Islands - 20% of the population [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cj.html#People Cayman Islands: People: Ethnic Groups.] The World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|CRC Costa Rica - 94% of the population, including mestizos
**flagicon|CUB Cuba - (White Cuban) 37%,cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Cuba; People; Ethnic groups | date= | publisher= | url =https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cu.html#People | work =CIA World Factbook | pages = | accessdate = 2007-11-21] or 65.5% of the population [ [https:http://dev.prenhall.com/divisions/hss/worldreference/CU/people.html#People Cuba: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|DOM Dominican Republic - 16% of the population and 73% mixed [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/dr.html#People Dominican Republic: People: Ethnic groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|SLV El Salvador - 9% of the population and 90% mestizo [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/es.html#People El Salvador: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|JAM Jamaica approx. 0.2% of the population
**flagicon|FRA Martinique - 5% of the population [ [http://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/wofact2003/geos/mb.html#People Martinique: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|NIC Nicaragua - 17% of the population and 69% mestizo [cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Nicaragua: People; Ethnic groups | date= | publisher= | url =https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/nu.html#People | work =CIA World Factbook | pages = | accessdate = 2007-11-15 | language = ]
**flagicon|PAN Panama 10% of the population and 70% mestizocite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Panama; People; Ethnic groups | date= | publisher= | url =https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pm.html#People | work =CIA World Factbook | pages = | accessdate = 2007-11-21]
**flagicon|PRI Puerto Rico 80.5% of the population [ [http://www.topuertorico.org/pdf/2kh72.pdf Puerto Rico: People: Ethnic Groups] www.topuertorico.org]
**flagicon|TRI Trinidad and Tobago approx. 0.6% of the population
**flagicon|SPM Saint-Pierre and Miquelon

*South America (see White Latin Americans)
**flagicon|ARG Argentina (White Argentine) - 95% of the population [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ar.html#People Argentina: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|BOL Bolivia - 15% of the population and 30% mestizo [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bl.html#People Bolivia: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|BRA Brazil (White Brazilian) - 49.7% and 42.6% Mixed cite web |title=PNAD |date=2006 |url=http://www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/populacao/trabalhoerendimento/pnad2006/brasilpnad2006.pdf |language=Portuguese | accessdate=2007-09-14|pages=Table 1.2]
**flagicon|CHI Chile - 30% and 65% as mestizos [ [http://mazinger.sisib.uchile.cl/repositorio/lb/ciencias_quimicas_y_farmaceuticas/medinae/ Elementos de Salud Pública ] ]
**flagicon|COL Colombia - 20% of the population and 72% multiracial [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/co.html#People Colombia: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|ECU Ecuador - 7% of the population and 65% mestizocite news | title=Ecuador: People; Ethnic groups| url =https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ec.html#People | work =CIA World Factbook | accessdate = 2007-11-26]
**flagicon|FRA French Guiana - 12% of the population [ [http://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/wofact2006/geos/fg.html#People French Guiana: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|PER Peru - 15% of the population and 37% mestizo [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pe.html#People Peru: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|SUR Suriname - 5% of the population and 31% partial
**flagicon|VEN Venezuela - 21% of the population and 67% multiracial [ [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Venezuela.pdf Venezuela ] ]
**flagicon|URU Uruguay - 88% of the population and 8% mestizo [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uy.html#People Uruguay: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|FLK Falkland Islands

*Oceania (see Europeans in Oceania)
**flagicon|AUS Australia - 89.3% of the population
**flagicon|NZL New Zealand (New Zealand European) - 78% of the population
**flagicon|NCL New Caledonia (Caldoche) - 34.5% of the population
**flagicon|PYF French Polynesia - 10% of the population [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fp.html#People French Polynesia: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|USA Hawaii - 42.6% of the population [ [http://starbulletin.com/2007/08/09/news/story06.html Census shows Hawaii is becoming whiter] , starbulletin.com]
**flagicon|GUM Guam - 6.9% of the population [ [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gq.html#People Guam: People: Ethnic Groups.] World Factbook of CIA]
**flagicon|NFK Norfolk Island

ee also

*Global Empire
*Human migration
*Afrikaner
*Caldoche
*Pied-noir
*Scots-Irish American
*Overseas Chinese
*Irish diaspora
*Transmigration program
*Overpopulation
*Immigration
*First white child

Further reading

*"Settler Colonialism in the Twentieth Century" (edited by Susan Pedersen and Caroline Elkins, Routledge, 2005)

References