This lack of self-awareness stands in stark contrast with European nations that decolonized and, although in fits and starts, today seek to atone for past injustices. In 2021, Germany formally apologized for genocide in Namibia in the early 1900s, while Queen Camilla declined to wear a crown at King Charles' coronation bearing the Kohinoor diamond, which Britain plundered when it ruled India.

This is too funny. Did Britain return the diamond? No. Did Germany pay reparations? No. But this is “stark contrast” to what Russia has done. Very hilarious. It’s actually incredible that the author couldn’t even cite real examples of voluntary decolonization from western powers, because it was always done by force from below. And sometimes even those who tried to overthrow their colonizers were financially punished like how Haiti was.

The article is filled with dumb ideas, half-truths, and revisionist history. Can’t take this seriously.

[–] OrnluWolfjarl@lemmygrad.ml 8 points 1 year ago

They apologized, so it's fine. The former colonizers can keep exploiting their former colonial subjects through economic, social and political strangleholds. If it's such a big problem they can just apologize again. This whole article is one big dump of projection.

[–] DonnieDarkmode@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago

And sometimes even those who tried to overthrow their colonizers were financially punished like how Haiti was.

And just to bring it full circle, after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti there was a push for the French government to finally make reparations for what they did (to the tune of $28 billion). The French government said no

[–] BrooklynMan@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago

because it was always done by force from below

European (especially British) decolonization of Africa was mostly the result of 1) the Atlantic Charter negotiated between FDR and Churchill after WWII when FDR told Churchill to stop that shit, and 2) because Europe’s devastated economy couldn’t afford to maintain their colonies abroad anymore anyway.

I wouldn’t say that Europe did any of this voluntarily, however. they were certainly forced by circumstance, highly pressured by the United States who threatened to withhold fund for post-war relief and rebuilding, and, obviously, mounting unrest in the colonies themselves.