History made sure that the benefits of colonialism ultimately came to an end. France and others have attempted to keep their hands in the cookie jar of their former colonies, post the colonial era, but eventually that too came to an end in the 1960s.
South Africa was the very last vestige of colonial yoke, which abruptly also came to an end in 1994. Now what this meant in reality is though these European countries raped their colonies dry of all sorts of resources. It did come to an end and no blatant stealing of such resources could continue to take place.
Coupled with this significant loss and trade agreements being negotiated increasingly on equal terms for the most part, the Europeans are beginning to feel the pinch. In no short measure is also the fact that African states, in particular, nowadays have an option for better trade negotiations and terms in the form of a rising China. This is a massive concern for EU leaders.
In addition to this decline in revenue is the fact that European countries have become over reliant on the US for their security, which meant they could spend more on their own citizens’ welfare – free education, and in some cases free healthcare, and virtually no spend on their military and security. And if this is not enough, the EU countries have also stopped being innovative; both on technological and manufacturing fronts.
Where are the European Googles, Amazons and SpaceX? Now, they have fallen so far behind it will take decades to recover and become self-sufficient again. What is to be done?
China, Russia and Iran are rising powers, together with India, Brazil, and South Africa; and European economies are facing recessions and/or complete economic collapse in the short term. Thus they orchestrate a war. They must identify a boogie man for which they can blame all their problems. And who better than Mr Vladimir Putin from Russia? Forget the fact that it was the Soviet Union that really defeated the Nazis in World War II and gave Germany the death knell that brought the war to an end.
Instead they want us to rather remember the Cold War that ensued thereafter. When the USSR finally imploded in 1990s, the Europeans and Americans celebrated. Russia was stripped of its former glory with regards to neighbouring states and their sovereignty, granting these states their respective freedoms. The Russian state became a failed state where oligarchs and mafia structures were running the country during the Boris Yeltsin era. He then appointed Putin as his deputy and the rest, as they say, is history.
The Europeans and Americans were livid that Putin got control back and built yet again an effective state. Oligarchs were arrested, assets seized and billions of dollars repatriated back into state coffers. Strategic industries were nationalised, especially the oil and gas sectors which bring in most of Russia’s income.
A plan was hatched in 2008 that a war against Putin’s regime must be engaged upon, so that Russia must fall, implode and Putin must be removed. When that happens, each EU state will be able to claim its “piece” of mother Russia which will become its colony. By doing so, much needed revenue will yet again be flowing into the colonisers’ coffers, just like how it was when African states were their colonies. This is ultimately the plan of the Europeans and the US.
But Putin had other plans. And four years into this proxy war in Ukraine, the Europeans, Americans and their proxy are losing while attempting to put up a brave face. They are literally losing this war on all fronts: air, sea and land.
The plan has spectacularly backfired and Russia is stronger on almost all fronts today. Its shadow fleet delivers oil and gas where needed globally. Even with its frozen foreign reserves in Western banks, Putin has managed to build up a healthy reserve in Russia’s fiscus again. It is stronger militarily, and its manufacturing and technological advances are far beyond that of Europe.
To add salt to injury, the illegal war of aggression on Iran has resulted in downward pressure on energy reserves in all European countries. Oil and gas prices have skyrocketed, and the general cost of living is very high and unsustainable. Ordinary citizens are feeling it.
Europe will not recover from this downward slide. It is going to become more reliant on Africa and China in years to come. With the US empire also coming to an end within the next few decades, we can confidently say that the hegemony of the collective West is coming to a certain end. The question we must ask ourselves is whether they will accept it lying down or go down fighting. This is why Europe desperately needs this war with Russia.
• Dr Van Heerden is a senior research fellow at the Centre for African Diplomacy and Leadership at UJ
- Colonialism by European countries, including France and South Africa, effectively ended by 1994, ceasing the blatant extraction of resources from colonies.
- African states now have better trade options, notably with China, causing economic concerns for EU leaders.
- European countries have become reliant on the US for security, with reduced innovation in technology and manufacturing sectors, leading to economic vulnerability.
- A coordinated effort began around 2008 by Europe and the US to undermine Putin's Russia, aiming to disintegrate it and claim its territory as colonies, but this plan has failed.
- Russia is currently stronger militarily and economically than Europe, while Europe's energy crisis and economic challenges deepen, increasing its reliance on Africa and China.
