Culture imperialism

• Posted by Momina Iqbal September 8, 2018 - Filed in Arts & Culture - 1,092 views

   

  Culture imperialism in the modern society  

   

  Culture “the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively.” In simpler words the peoples way of life, how a certain group of people do things. Imperialism, the extension of the countries power and influence through the force of military or other means.

  Invasion of a country doesn't end with an invasion of the geographical territories enclosed within the political boundaries alone. Religious and cultural invasion are often inseparable parts of a conquest. After all, isn't it easier to rule if the invaded share the same religious and cultural platforms as the invaders? The cultural imperialism theory is founded upon the premises of imposing the influences and beliefs of the stronger culture (the invaders) upon the weaker or more submissive culture (the invaded).

  Culture imperialism dominant society uses politics or economically to impose its own culture on a non-dominating society. It is a form of imperialism in that the imposing community forcefully extends the authority of its way of life over the other population by either transforming or replacing aspects of the non-dominant community’s culture. The term is frequently employed in international propaganda to denounce and discredit an opponent’s foreign policy.

  The term culture imperialism was started to be studies in the 1960s properly, it did not emerge in the society magically in the 1900s it can be dated back as the history itself. Because it’s the nature of a dominant to rule or lead others. In the history, culture imperialism has been linked with the military leadership to conquer.  When it can be responsible for positive change or values at the same time it can be the demise of many cultures and languages.

   

  Some of the examples of cultural imperialism are;

   

  1. English Cultural Imperialism

  • Replacing Latin with English.
  • Cricket, top ten most popular sports.
  • third most spoken language 
  • The Etruscan culture and language caused by the Roman Empire.

  1. The influence of the British in India.

  Classified into four main groups.

  1. Economic argument.
  2. Nature of human.
  3. Strategy and Security.
  4. Moral

   

   

   

   

  Economic argument

  This is the group that often argues weather or not imperialism pays. When a few argue that it’s all (resources, goods, investment capital etc.)  Provided by the empire. While on the other hand a few also argue this that imperialism may benefit a small, favored group but never the nation as a whole. Marxist theoreticians interpret imperialism as a late stage of capitalism when the national capitalist economy has become monopolistic and is forced to conquer outlets for its overproduction and surplus capital in competition with other capitalist states. Few say capitalism and imperialism are identical but the weakness of this is that there is no historical evidence.

  Nature of human

  Different personalities such as Sir Francis Bacon, Ludwig Gumplowicz, Adolf Hitler, and Benito Mussolini all came to the same conclusion that it is a part of the nature, imperialism is a part of human nature struggling to survive. The ones that have the dominating nature, superior qualities have the erg or need to rule all the others.

  Strategy and Security

  That the nations to this point of view for two reasons, one to conquer and keep the conquer land under their control and away from the threats and other to keep out the threats from within their nations. The security argument is the argument that nations are imperialistic in the search for power and prestige for their own sake.

   

  Moral grounds

  Imperialism is excused as the means of liberating peoples from cruel rule or of bringing them the blessings of a superior way of life. This mixture of motivations makes it difficult to eliminate imperialism but also easy for states considering themselves potential victims to suspect it in policies not intended to be imperialistic.     

  Media imperialism in the modern society

  The role of media in society

  Namely, the content that media provide the public with is always closely bound and tied with the material and spiritual development of the entire society, while, at the same time, the way the media operate can always reveal the political, economic and cultural level of that society as well.

  Media plays an important role in influencing the society. Making people follow a certain trend, culture, tradition or beliefs.

  In the dark ages imperialism was done through invasion and war. When a certain empire took over another nation they imposed their culture, religion and traditions over then and of they didn’t follow those the consequences used to dire. This still happens in some parts of the word, we can take the explain from our own country of a 16-year-old Hindu girl called Ravita Meghwar was allegedly abducted by men in the southern Pakistani region of Sindh in 2017. Within hours, Ravita had apparently embraced Islam. She was given new name – Gulnaz – and married off to a Muslim man.

  So when we talk about imperialism in the modern society, it’s really about the media and culture imperialism

  The countries being imperialized are Third World or “lesser” in terms of their economy. Any country can fall victim to imperialism if the country imposing its ways of life does it in such a way that it is almost impossible to resist or avoid. This is where cultural imperialism of the media comes into play and can make an impact.

  America is the leading power of the world. As much as that, when a person talks about his/her dream they say the American dream. America has always been a strong nation. And its median content has been viewed around the world since the beginning. But the turning point of it all was during the WWII (September, 1939-1945), when there wasn’t actual war going on inside the state its self but the troops went to fight. During this time the productions of films in the war affected areas had stopped and American studios starting producing and sending their films in the war affected areas. Since there was no production of their own they played the American films. Thus began the time of American films.

  Before this 1927, American started a company that would award the actors, directors, writers etc. on their work that they did throughout the year known as “Academy of motions pictures art and sciences.” The started giving this award in 1956 after the WWII.

  Modern media are now the most powerful means of exerting cultural influence beyond the borders of a given state. America is often accused of cultural imperialism because of the dominance of its entertainment industry which helps spread American values throughout the world, as well as the success of American business models which also make American products and brands ubiquitous around the globe. For example, not alone does Hollywood encourage the continuing spread of (American) English, but it ‘advertises’ a way of life and a value system which influences people from other countries. No force is involved, of course, but there is a cumulative effect which is why it is likened to imperialism of old.

  For example

  McDonalds

  The McDonaldization of the globe applies not just to its namesake, McDonald’s, with its franchises in seemingly every country, but to any industry that applies the technique of McDonald’s on a large scale. Coined by George Ritzer in his book The McDonaldization of Society (1993), the concept is rooted in the process of rationalization. Applying the concepts of an optimized financial market to cultural and human items such as food, McDonaldization enforces general standards and consistency throughout a global industry.

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  Large amount is paid for air time and all multibillion companies pay the highest bid for their ads to run. Since America being at the top most ads played around the words have their culture, tradition, beliefs, brands or their celebrities.

   

   

  Example

  Lays: The one brand that is distributed almost in every country (American brand). All their advertisement show their culture most of the times.

  Media plays an important role and it has played an important role in making USA the leading power. Even that now in what every aspect of life reference is taken from them, may that be in education (Harvard), economically, traditions (Christmas), media (AMPAS), food (McDonalds).

  Modern cultural imperialism through media.