Epress.am News from Armenia
After independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, it has been even harder for Armenia to avoid neo-colonization and preserve its sovereignty than for countries in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa which became decolonized after World War II, cultural expert Hrach Bayadyan (pictured) said in a lecture read in the framework of an educational program organized by “Socioscope” Societal Research & Consultancy Center NGO.
According to Bayadyan, it is more difficult for Armenia to resist neocolonialism, given its non-established statehood, as well as the fact that Armenia has joined a number of international organizations since independence, which can, to some extent, be considered loss of sovereignty.
“In the years following World War II, dozens of countries in Africa and Asia gained independence, that is, they went through a process of decolonization; however, these societies tasted the poisonous fruit of independence. You won't see what needs to be done after independence even in the texts of Armenian dissidents,” Bayadyan said.
In the period of neocolonialism, in addition to old colonialists, which are different for different countries, there were also major countries, such as the United States, which, although not colonialist in the traditional sense, featured very distinct elements of imperialism.
The so-called compradors, as stated by Bayadyan, who participated in the colonization of their countries one way or another, played an important role in neocolonialism. These were the new elite, and with their help the colonialists were able to keep control of third world countries and societies.
“In Marxism, the word 'comprador' referred to the local bourgeoisie, which owed its privileged position to foreign monopolists, and thus were keen on maintaining colonial order. In post-colonial theory, this applied not only to economic compradors, but also intellectual ones. We are all more or less compradors. In a colonial state, it's impossible to say exactly who serves whose interests. We are in compromises. The whole problem is in laying borders,” the expert said.
Bayadyan draws attention to the way neoliberalism makes the distinction between developed and developing countries; in this context, there is no insurmountable barrier between them, and a developing country can one day become a developed one, too.
“Dependency theory says that this is a myth, that everything is built on simply leaving things as they are. We are taught that we can develop; however, developed countries, such as they are, are developed at the expense of us being developing,” Bayadyan said.
According to available data, from 1980 to 1990-92, poor countries paid about $ 450 billion to rich countries, which is more than they have ever received in aid.
“In other words – 'Why do we need wars if we can get a bigger profit in a polite manner?' Neocolonialism is more effective than colonization itself,” the expert stated.
Lecture in its entirety in Armenian