10 Minute essay (2/1)

Developing Nations and Consumerism

It is an unarguable fact the European powers were a colonial influence, this is literal, historical truth. The early Spanish and Portuguese warred for dominance in the Americas, while later powers battled for colonies even on the eve of the first World War. This history of exploration and conquest, both military and cultural, has shaped the world of the present. Many argue that Europe was a destructive force, robbing the colonies of their resources, taking the raw materials and using the populations as markets for manufactured goods—thus the nation was enriched. Although the days of major European colonialism have passed, it can be argued that the ideology of conquest remains unchanged. American culture has been exported around the world. America may have imperialistic tendencies, but the bulk of recent colonization has been cultural. American companies have reaped the benefits of creating product brands that are manufactured solely within developing nations. The great irony of this situation is that American goods are being produced for Americans by members of other nations. The country provides land, labor, natural resources and sometimes capital to produce goods for the consumption of another nation. If the workers desire one of the American products, they must purchase the labor of their hands and the resources of their nation. If European colonialism was destructive in that it sucked the colonies dry of all available resources and used the people as markets, how is the American system any different in form or function? One major difference is that the colonial powers took a parental, though raciest and arrogant, view of colonial control. The colonies were resources to be exploited, but there was still a paternalistic responsibility taken for the welfare of conquered regions. America has no such responsibilities, and so may take from their cultural and economic colonies as is needed, with little qualm. America is a consumer engine, destroying resources in an ever-present need to satisfy its urge to consume conspicuously. These are not, however, the largest repercussions of America’s actions.

Consumption is by its very nature a wasteful enterprise, conspicuous consumption even more so. However, America is only one nation. The world can support one nation’s extreme over-indulgence, no matter how severe the repercussions for the developing world. The problem that is just beginning to plague the world is this—America has set a high bar for consumerism, one which developing nations will want to compete with in order to gain a place on the world’s stage. Through cultural colonialism, America has exported its cultural “bad habits” of extreme and conspicuous consumption. The world can support one United States, but not three. China and India are beginning to follow in America’s footsteps, consuming products and resources as never before. The question then becomes one of ethics—is it right to limit the development of these nations to preserve the global eco-system? Perhaps the central question is even simpler—if the world cannot support three mass-consumer nations a la the United States, does it even have the ability to support one?