Great Britain's Age Of Imperialism

Despite how civilized many would consider today’s world to be, the truth is that many violations of basic human rights still occur. Oppressive governments around the world throughout the 20th and 21st century create victims that normally are not able to share their hardships. These human right violations range from not being permitted to speak in public to unmasked genocides. In South Africa in the 1900s, the government was certainly not pleased with the ideas and actions of Steve Biko, founder of the Black Consciousness movement. His freedom of speech was stripped by the apartheid government, the same authority that ultimately took his life. Oppressive governments and violations of basic human rights are issues that exist in our most recent
During Great Britain’s age of imperialism, a major goal was to secure a trade route to the East (“Britain Takes Control”). Many of Britain’s colonies and major trade partners had water ports that were only accessible from Britain by sailing around the southern tip of Africa. Africa’s southern cape became a popular rest stop for European traders on their way to the Indies, which gave it significant value in the eyes of the British (“Trade with Asia”). Britain’s typical colonial policy in Africa was indirect rule, wherein existing tribes were used to enforce new laws. In South Africa during the 18th century, leaders saw many benefits in trading with the British. At the expense of slaves, African rulers were provided access to useful European technologies like firearms. Politicians used firearms to come to power (“Britain Takes Control”). The colonial link between Britain and South Africa was a two-way system that benefits political leaders in both Britain and South
This was a very dangerous view and Biko would face many repercussions for standing behind them. When Biko’s brother was arrested for suspicion in being involved in armed resistance, the authorities interrogated Biko as well (“I Write What I Like”). This led to him being expelled from a school he recently enrolled in, Lovedale College. While there is no law specifically protecting him in this situation, Biko still resented whites who tried to form an African’s future like they did. While studying medicine at the University of Natal, he was expelled again for his political activities. Biko’s ideas were very well know and criticized by many of the whites, including the apartheid government, which would go to great lengths to silence