Du Bois’ Analysis of Imperialism Focusing on Race

Engaging Du Bois’ work with an objective of extracting useful insights to establish an intellectual and social initiative makes one deal with his concept regarding color line and the role that he dispensed both in African history and for human history. Arguably, his analysis pertaining to imperialism was focused on race and racism in great aspect. This case makes various scholars to debate his analysis while raising their perceptions about the issue. The concept of color-line refers to what race and racism play both in history and in social life presented in the society. For Du Bois’, the same issue requires multidimensional analysis so that it is sought and understood, particularly how it race intersects with class. Despite this view, he attributes the problems of the twentieth century to those of color-line. This paper seeks to evaluate Du Bois’ analysis of imperialism. It endeavors to answer the question, is Du Bois’ analysis focused on race?

Du Bois’ holds that the metropolis of the contemporary world towards the end of the 19th century has an assemblage of men and women having African blood. These people do aim at solemnly deliberating on the current issue of race and racism. Color-line was the cause of many challenges in the 20th century. Du Bois’ hold that the reason for unfair sharing of opportunities and privileges as per the contemporary civilization is caused by the difference in race presented by the skin pigment the texture of the hair. Those who considered themselves as a dominant race stood denied giving fair opportunities to their minority counterparts.

The affirmation of the case that imperialism focused much on race is that even at the current time, the minority race represented by the people of color are least advanced in culture as offered by the European standards. Considerably, Du Bois states that this case has not been how it is in the past. The history of the world, both ancient one and that held by the modern world gives various instances where the ability and capacity cannot be duplicated among the men of the minority race. This has been the case notwithstanding the fact that the black men are among the great influential people as far as the world is dynamic. Millions of them in Africa, America, and the Sea Islands together with the yellow myriads across the world exemplify the influence that black men have in the world. Du Bois is however concerned with how imperialism considered the white men dominant over their black counterparts. According to him, it would rather be an equal case where colonization would only be based on the superiority of other aspects such as intellectual and economic content.

Du Bois also takes this scenario into consideration, if the cultural world bends itself so as to give Negroes and other people of color one of the largest and comprehensive opportunity particularly in line with education and self-growth, then such contact is likely to be bound to pose many benefits across the world and makes the human economic, social, and other aspects faster. On the other hand, he holds that if the case is reversed so that such opportunities are granted carelessly, with prejudice, with greed or in an unjust manner, then the black world would be overwhelmed and degraded and the ultimate results would be deplorable. The fatality of the results would not only affect the black but also to world justice, freedom and culture which are considered to have been held by many people, with different races and religions for civilization in Europe. Therefore, the major aspect discussed by Du Bois is racial discrimination. Equity in opportunity and privilege sharing enhances growth all over the world, and any form of discrimination affects all races in one way or another.

Du Bois further lead the African people to stand solemnly appealing for civilization to the broad humanity while standing as cliques of the prince of peace. He stood with them in appealing to the world not to backslide in that slowly progressing but sure means to let the devotion of class, that of caste, privilege, liberty, and seeking for happiness be in vain for the seekers of civilization. The African people led by Du Bois strive for the elements mentioned above and are ready to sacrifice their time to seek for them. He further appeals to the world that color or race should be a distinguishing feature between the whites and the people of color no matter how worthy or able they may seem. Race centers the content of the appeal for civilization led by Du Bois. He is a human rights activist who believes that what is fair and just must be strived to end racial injustices.

Imperialism could affect the black if not well sough or misrepresented. According to his analysis, Du Bois states that the African natives ought not to be sacrificed because of the white’s greed for gold. If they would be sacrificed, then even their liberty would be taken from them, and their families would have their lives depraved. Also, the African’s aspirations would face repression, their avenues and all that they had advanced would be stolen from them. The big question about sacrificial of Africans due to imperialism in his analysis is quite valid since, in all aspects, the whites are the renowned colonizers yet if they take advantage of this case, then Africans would face many difficulties. In another aspect, the cloak of Christian missionary enterprises ought not to be given a chance in future to hide the economic misuse and political disgrace in nations that are developed and whose fault for all these disadvantages is rooted to the plighted conviction of Christianity. Analysing the religious background of both the potential colonizers and the colonies particularly based on what they could stand for as far as colonization is concerned to help Du Bois in predicting the state of colonization that is yet to take place. This analysis is somehow not merited to racism, but religion is rooted in racism in its aspect. Therefore, Du Bois is likely to have taken the root of Christianity as his reason to analyze imperialism with it.

Du Bois’ appeal to the German Empire and the French Republic regarding imperialism is that they should be true to their past, a great one that mentored their capability to be the colonizers. They should recall that the worthiness of their colonies lies in how prosperous they are how they progress. It also lies on how just these imperialists are, and how they are impartial not like their black and white counterparts. He advises that the Congo Free State should be a great central Negro state that centers the world. The success of this State should not be based on cash and commerce but how happy people are and what true advancement are there for the colonies.

Du Bois being an Africa-American observed the injustices that the blacks were going through all over the world. At the time when in, he was actively championing the human rights, most of the uncivilized countries in the world were under colonization of the European countries. From his speeches, he mentioned the exploitation of the resources of the subjects without their knowledge. The Europeans in the twentieth had established the colonies in the most of parts of the world especially in Africa and the south-America. During their stay, they took away the natural resources of the subject countries without letting the inhabitants benefit from them. Du Bois noted that the African-American suffered in the hands of the whites. He disregarded the use of the inhabitants in the guest of the exploitation of the resources without the benefiting from them. This portrays that the main aim to conquer the African countries was mainly to acquire the resources. During the process, the subjects suffered as they tried to protect their land.

Africa was not regarded at all in many aspects of the development in early times. That is why the history on the continent is minimal. The continent was assumed to lack behind in the civilization in that were taking place in the whole world. From the view of Du Bois in his article “The African Roots of War,” the major problems that were faced in the continent is attributed to the British imperialism and mainly the race factor. The African were treated like animals, and indeed the Europeans doubted whether they were human beings. This is the principal reason why the capture them and used as slaves on their farms and mining sites. The Negros were not happy about this which led to wars. Since the whites were more superior with their weapons, many lives were lost in the process.