Theory, Policy, and Practice of Development

Assignment 1

Review of Week 1 Article, The Case of Colonialism by Bruce Gilley

Tutor: Veli Yadirgi

Word Count: 981

1
There have been numerous contributions on how development should be undertaken. In the

2017 article, The Case for Colonialism, Bruce Gilley, professor of Political Science at Portland

State University, adds to the discourse by suggesting that recolonization of developing

countries by Western ones is the process by which development of all will be achieved. The

case is built by arguing that the widely accepted view of past colonialism as outright bad must

be reconsidered so that its formula of success can be reapplied in the present.

Gilley begins by outlining the failures of the anti-colonial critique, by stating its exact opposite.

First, it is asserted that colonialism was helpful when seen through an objective lens, and lists

certain challenges in costs/benefits measurement. Second, it is contested that colonialism was

subjectively legitimate. Finally, the author postulates that the anti-colonial critique was not

based on scientific principles. Rather, it stemmed from an ideological and political place. This

led to the ‘weaponizing of the colonial past’ (Gilley 2017,5).

These statements are followed by enumerating the harm done by anti-colonialism. Anti-

colonialism had an adverse impact on human welfare through declining state capacity. A

question about whether these states would have been able to improve their capacities with

the involvement of their colonizers in is raised. Further, blame is put on the continued

opposition of colonialism by formerly oppressed, now liberal countries for the lack of

coordinated, global response when needed. Anti-colonialism movements damaged countries.

In support of this statement, Gilley concludes that states which kept colonial ideologies in mind

are currently in better situations.

The need for reclaiming colonialism is asserted through the proposal of two methods. The

first is the adoption of colonial governance by developing countries. This implies looking back

to the colonial past for ideas about governmentality. It is different from good governance in

that it encompasses the civilizing mission present in the colonial agenda. Additionally, it relates

to the acknowledgement that the capacity to self-govern is absent and not possible to create

in such countries. The second method is the recolonization of certain areas as only Western

countries possess the required accountability measures and authority to generate

2
development. He proposes this could be done through the creation of new colonies in the form

of charter cities which would be built by richer countries on land leased to them by the poorer

nations.

Gilley’s imperialist approach to modern development and state capacity may seem radical

but it is not unique. The implication that Western states have a monopoly over theory and

policy of development and how it should be carried out has been echoed by British diplomat,

Robert Cooper in his article in the Guardian. He states that even if it has become

‘unfashionable’, colonialism is the best way to bring order to weaker, so-called pre-modern

states and asserts that it is the need of the hour (Cooper 2002). Truman’s inaugural speech,

explicit in its rejection of imperialism, subtly emphasises the adoption of Western, democratic

ideology as the condition for development aid (Truman 1949; as cited in Bartleby.com 2001).

This suggests a new form of imperialism, based on the spread of a particular ideology than

the annexure of territory.

These imperialist undertones expose his bias. Certain information is presented only in a way

that is beneficial to the argument. For example, by suggesting that it was colonialism that

ended slave-trade, its colonial roots are blatantly disregarded(Mohamud and Whitburn 2018).

It is stated that colonial institutions were generally accepted by the indigenous when arguing

that it was subjectively legitimate. However, the testimonials are restricted to the elites of the

subordinated, such as the Sultan of Brunei, who might have personally benefited from

advocating it. Thus, the evidence presented is misleading and misrepresented.

The historical case studies used to explain shortcomings of anti-colonial critique, costs of anti-

colonialism, and positive impact of colonialism are insufficient as justifications. As most are

not supported by empirical data, it is not possible to come to the same conclusions as the

author. The benefits are proven by broad generalisations of populations’ opinions based on

very few indirect interviews, calling into question their acceptability. For example, on the basis

of only one interaction with a journalist, Gilley has stated that Sierra Leoneans wanted the

British to stay after its intervention in police reforms in 2005.

3
The case for recolonization is centred on states handing over control to intervening states who

act as trustees with extensive accountability measures. However, being accountable to

anyone else other than the population of a country cannot be seen as legitimate, even if the

developing country’s leader accepts it. Also, by suggesting involvement of international civil

society and multinational corporations in government, the possibility of exploitation by these

actors is ignored.

The central idea is that colonialism was, and therefore is the only method and instance which

improved standard of living in developing countries. Conversely, indigenous models have and

continue to lead to development. China, which has never been colonized, is the second largest

economy in the world (Reuters 2018). India, a former colony, has become the fastest growing

economy in the world (Bloomberg 2018). Additionally, the Asian Tigers have developed their

own models of development and implemented them successfully (Öniş 1991,110). These

achievements can be supported by the fact that the world bank has chosen to remove the

term ‘developing countries’ on account of the fact the gap between the developed and

developing no longer exists in key measurements such as life expectancy and infant mortality

(Lynn 2016). Thus, his argument is rendered invalid.

Gilley’s proposed method cannot be accepted as a significant contribution to development

theory as his analysis is inadequate and prejudiced. However unlikely it is that recolonization

will occur, this article does highlight the fact that imperialist views still exist. This draws

attention to the need for a renewed critique of colonialism, if only to silence its supporters once

and for all.

References:

1. Cooper, R. (2002, April 7). Robert Cooper: the new liberal imperialism. The Guardian.

Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/07/1

4
2. Economists raise China’s 2018 GDP growth forecast despite trade... (2018, July 12).

Reuters. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-economy-

poll/economists-raise-chinas-2018-gdp-growth-forecast-despite-trade-uncertainty-

idUSKBN1K20Z7

3. Gilley, B. (2017). The case for colonialism. Third World Quarterly, 1–17.

https://doi.org/10.1080/01436597.2017.1369037

4. Harry S. Truman: Inaugural Address. U.S. Inaugural Addresses. 1989. (n.d.).

Retrieved 1 November 2018, from https://www.bartleby.com/124/pres53.html

5. Lynn, M. (2016, May 23). Why the title of 'developing country’ no longer exists. The

Telegraph. Retrieved from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/05/23/why-the-

title-of-developing-country-no-longer-exists/

6. Mohamud, A., & Whitburn, R. (2018, June 21). Britain’s involvement with New World

slavery and the transatlantic slave trade. Retrieved 1 November 2018, from

http://www.bl.uk/restoration-18th-century-literature/articles/britains-involvement-with-

new-world-slavery-and-the-transatlantic-slave-trade

7. Öniş, Z. (1991). The Logic of the Developmental State. Comparative Politics, 24(1),

109–126. https://doi.org/10.2307/422204

8. The World’s Fastest-Growing Economy Looks Like It’s Got Momentum. (2018, July

29). Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-07-29/animal-

spirits-suggest-india-s-world-beating-growth-has-momentum