Atlantic Revolutions and Colonial Development

The American Revolution

It is interesting that Strayer notes that “what was revolutionary about the American experience was…the kind of society that had already emerged within the colonies” (787). By attempting to tighten imperial control, Britain further “infuriated many of the colonies” (786). I found it interesting that while the status of traditional gentlemen was diminished due to “a widening political participation,” women and people of color did not benefit from these changes.

The French Revolution

It is interesting how in each revolution, the issue of women’s rights and equality and the means in which women fought for their rights differs regarding their progress. In the French Revolution, female political participation was present as they took part in the events of the revolution. By signing petitions and forming women’s clubs women were able to voice their political stance and the inequality of power that was distributed to men over women. This movement was met with an all-male legislative body that banned all women’s clubs and led to the label of viragos, meaning domineering woman, which in society was not considered a woman. Despite this response, Strayer states that a lead historian notes that “the French Revolution more than any other event…opened up the question of women’s rights for consideration” (790).

Abolition of Slavery

It is interesting that while the majority of African slaves were sent to Brazil and the Caribbean, for the southern states of the United States “it was the only society in which the end of slavery occurred through such a bitter…and highly destructive civil war” (800). I find this disturbing in that while other regions that had far more slaves did not have such a resistance to abolition the way that the United States did. What does this say about the conditions in the United States at that time in comparison to Brazil and the Caribbean?

It is also interesting that Strayer reveals that “the economic lives of the former slaves did not improve dramatically” (800). I found this observation to be interesting but also not surprising, as how would a former slave continue to make a living when that previous occupation has been all that he/she has done up to that point.

Nations and Nationalism

Strayer describes nationalism as “an infinitely flexible and enormously powerful idea” (802) This idea of nationalism would be engrained with the political ideology and cultural identity of the people, with Strayer noting this process of “becoming American” (802) This section made me question what it means to “be an American,” beyond being a legal citizen of the United States of America. What elements of national identity are uniquely American and what does it mean to be an American in terms of ideology and lifestyle?

The United States and Industrialism

I found it interesting that unlike in Europe, Strayer points out “there was no major political party…to represent the interests of the working class” (849). An interesting observation Strayer makes is that while socialism and Marxism served to represent the interests of the working class in Europe, both of these did little to improve working conditions in America.

The reason for this difference was due to a number of factors:

1.  The American Federation of Labor was conservative and did not include “radical unskilled laborers” and it “refused to align with any party.” This limited the Union’s political influence.

2.  The diversity of the laborers contrasted with the more homogenous working forces in Europe, which in turn “undermined the class solidarity of American workers” (849).

3.   With land being cheaper and home ownership available, there was a higher standard of living for the average American worker.

Colonial Development: Economic Progress or Exploitation?

Strayer identifies three developments as a result of colonialism:

1.   It further “integrated the Asian and African economies into a global network exchange” (901) from where it currently resided.

2.  Europeans brought many of their modern processes to “improve” the colonial societies, such as transportation/communication infrastructure such as railroads, telegraphs, postal service.

3.  There was no major breakthrough in modern industrial society; Strayer describes that “after two centuries of colonial rule” India became independent yet still remained “one of the poorest of the world’s developing countries (902).

I found it interesting that the “acquisition of Western education” and the desire to embrace European culture was considered “an almost magical power” as it could allow for the possibility of upward social mobility and higher status. Yet, Strayer notes that “Europeans generally declined to treat their Asian and African subjects-even those with a Western education-as equal partners” (904). This goes back to the opening of Chapter 18, and an account of an Englishman who refused to speak to the natives in English due to the “danger of organizing against the government and Europeans”(879). So despite the second development of bringing modern processes to the colonized people, as well as their education and religion, there was a distinct fear of backlash and uprising which led to a “colonial insistence on maintaining a distance and distinction between”(879)  the colonizer and the colonized.

It is ironic that while the Europeans “held many aspects of Chinese and Indian civilization in high regard” (882) and viewed them as “noble savages,” (882) along with the industrial age came a level of arrogance due to the development of superior military firepower, such as the automatic machine gun. I found it very disturbing, yet not shocking that the Europeans would then use scientific methods and explanations to justify their intellectual superiority over the very people (Asians and Africans) whose technologies they had sought out. Measuring the size and shape of human skulls to determine the less developed “child races” (883) reveals a level of ignorance and level of arrogance that fueled this level of imperialism. 

Strayer, W. (2013). Atlantic Revolutions - Global Echoes, Revolutions and Industrialization, Colonial Encounters in Asia and Africa, 784-787, 790, 798-805, 847-850, 880-884.