Issue Colonialism

It is interesting that, a few days after I referred to colonialism in a post (on Sunday), a major political row broke out in South Africa over a premier's claim that "not every aspect of colonial legacy was bad". She apologised unreservedly. I distinguished in my post between the old definition of "decolonisation" and the new -- which goes, too, to the definition of colonialism. Colonialism is now identified not with the constitutional powers of a coloniser, but with many of the features of colonialism, in particular influence, ties, privilege, specialisation, domination, exploitation, and superiority. OBSERVATION: Under the old definition, the premier might have got away with it. But her statements revealed that she was not in touch with a groundswell of new thinking -- or if she was in touch, then guilty as charged. But then, it is really too big an issue for one not to be in touch.