Dutch king makes historic apology for his country’s colonial past
Dutch king makes historic apology for his country’s colonial past
King Willem-Alexander apologized for the Netherlands’ role in the slave trade.
Apologizing for your forbears actions is strange to me. Colonialism had many bad results and effects, but it also brought about many incredibly positive changes and advancements. It’s not a black and white issue.
1When I first read this comment, I thought "for sure, not black and white. This fella says there's 'incredibly positive changes and advancements' "
Then I tried to think of one positive change or advancement that colonialism brought about. I'm sorry, my lemon, I'm calling BS. Honestly, the best thing I could come up with was "a bunch of bananas for 79¢" and frankly, that industry is horrifying.
7If by "brought about positive changes", you mean that it's allowed colonial powers to enrich themselves enormously while draining their colonies of wealth, leaving millions to starve and destabilizing regions for generations, then yes perhaps you're right. The argument you used could be applied in exactly the same way to justify slavery. The positive changes here always favour the oppressor, never the oppressed.
2@Chipthemonk @BrikoX Is there something that makes you think positive changes & advancements wouldn't have happened without colonialism?
1Expedite technology transfer, for example. For the GB being able to exploit and plunder the Indian subcontinent, they have to provide good transport system to transfer all the plundered goods back to their country. Just look at Indian's rail system now. It is hard to imagine them having it without this unintentional transfer of tech.
Having said that, I don't condone using this argument to make things right. Ethically their still wrong. At least The Netherlands has the guts to admit it. My country is one of the countries exploited by the British. It is nice, as a good gesture, to hear the British to admit they used to be the bad guy. It's not going to change anything in the past, but it can somehow provide a sense of closure for the future.
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many incredibly positive changes and advancements for the netherlands from exploiting colonies that saw extremely little of that wealth making its way back
any wealth that did make its way back was nearly exclusively to aid in the exploitation, not out of some genuine kindness
not to mention that doing a good thing does not bar you from blame for reprehensible actions, such as the netherlands shockingly brutal retaliation to any disobedience by the indigenous people of its colonies
I.E. the netherlands got rich off the backs of its colonies, which were neglected and abused for it
not to mention their expansive role in the transatlantic slave trade
an apology from the main representative of the nation is more than warranted, and its honestly fucking embarrassing that this absolutely tiny, practically meaningless statement took this long
1But what does this apology actually do? It doesn’t accomplish anything at this point. The people apologizing aren’t the perpetrators. “I’m sorry my great grandpa did horrific shit.” What? You weren’t even around when your great grandpa was. You are apologizing for something for which you have absolute no control or agency. It doesn’t make any sense.
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If you're actually sorry, make ammends. Give the people of Congo your wealth Mr. King man.
1Dutch, not Belgian.
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I wasn't really aware that Keti Koti had a kind of remembrance day format. It's hard for me as a white Dutchman to truly understand the complexities of the situation, but we can all agree that slavery was horrible and that having a remembrance ceremony like this is a good thing. The apology seemed sincere and well received.
1I forgive you, we need the colonialists of THIS ERA to apologize and pay for their crimes.
Or at least end the embargo on Cuba and the terrorism against Palestine.
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