tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13433228.post111893295415313640..comments2023-12-29T15:17:14.941+01:00Comments on the human province: Wole Soyinka and postcolonial reparationsseanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692290924543236943noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13433228.post-1119885433980355632005-06-27T17:17:00.000+02:002005-06-27T17:17:00.000+02:00While I agree that there is plenty of blame to be ...While I agree that there is plenty of blame to be passed around, I think it's a little too easy to say that it goes around in circles, which implies that no one is really guilty, at least no more than anyone else. <BR/><BR/>Rich countries are guilty of having plundered and continuing to plunder the African continent. I'm not sure whether monetary reparations would be wise or not, or even how they would be calculated, but I do think that we have to steer away from the facile idea that just because both parties are guilty of something, they're equally guilty and everyone is even.seanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01692290924543236943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13433228.post-1119321899114113862005-06-21T04:44:00.000+02:002005-06-21T04:44:00.000+02:00Blame runs in latitude and logitude across the Glo...Blame runs in latitude and logitude across the Globe, and many times in complete circles (current and future Western Europe blames Eastern Europe for being cash-hungry; Eastern Eurpoe blames Soviet Union/Russia for years of plunder and a governing system that is like an anathema; Russia could well blame - in case they realize, that their revolution was imported from Western Europe, Germany in particular). So what are the options? I think that monetary reparations should be out of the question, for the above reason (you'll never get to the end of the blame chain). On the other hand, coming out clean and coming to grips with the real and ugly events of history may alleviate some of the pain, and most importantly, demolish national myths that 'we are better', myth that are bred in the history books of every nation.<BR/>Unfortunately, I don't see the latter happening any time soon, because that would imply the recognition that we're all human, and our forefathers as well. So politically, the Pandora's box snaps closed, after the only possibility: ignore. I wish I were wrong.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com