🇷🇺🇦🇷 Article by Russia’s Ambassador to Argentina Dmitry Feoktistov, published in the Perfil newspaper
⚡️ The approaching end of neo-colonialism
💬 We live in an era of historical global changes. Right in front of our eyes, the collective West, represented by the United States and its allies, is losing its dominance in the international arena, the key attribute of which was the centuries-long robbery and exploitation of developing nations.
This trend began back in the 1960s, during the de-colonisation process, in which the USSR took an active part by providing support to many countries in forming their statehood, laying the foundations of the national economy, strengthening their defence capabilities, and training qualified personnel. At the initiative of the Soviet Union, the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples in December 1960, which allowed dozens of European colonies (dominions, protectorates and mandated territories) to gain political independence, mainly in Asia and Africa. However, the process of liberation from colonial oppression has not been fully completed yet.
There are still territories that are controlled by the mother countries. Of the 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories around the world, 10 remain under British rule, including the Malvinas Islands.
The privileged minority uses the monopoly of the dollar and the printing press to continue to rob the countries of the “third world,” buying real assets for banknotes that are not backed by material values. If previously colonies exported mainly gold and silver to the mother countries, today it is oil, lithium (for the development of green energy), copper (for the production of wind turbines) and other rare metals (to be used in electronics and rocket science) that are highly prized. It is no coincidence that high-ranking visitors from the US and the EU have been frequenting Latin America lately. They do not hide their interest in gaining access to the strategic natural resources of the region. New loans are offered in “exchange” (which will then have to be repaid at interest), due to various (including political) investment requirements and assistance in international financial organisations. All this “assistance” in fact results in cementing the subordinate position of the recipient states and their loss of independence, including in the international arena. It is encouraging that many developing countries are well aware of the true motives behind such purely self-serving approaches.
With the dependent development model being shaped by the West, the needs of people in many nations turn out to be deeply secondary in relation to the interests of the colonisers. This leads to the chronic economic lag and a range of socioeconomic problems such as poverty, unemployment, hunger, and poor ecology, which Western capitals hypocritically explain by the inefficiency of public administration and the spread of corruption.
In truth, the world has not made much progress since the colonial era. The division of mankind into a small group of wealthy countries and everyone else remains in place. The goals of the masters of the world remain the same, only their methods have changed. For those who firmly adhere to their principles and do not agree with this state of affairs, trade restrictions, financial and economic sanctions, and debt enslavement are in order, up to and including regime change operations and military incursions, as it happened in Iraq, Libya and Syria. In Russia’s case, the West has tried all the tools at its disposal, ultimately resorting to a proxy conflict. By setting the Kiev regime against everything Russian, it provoked a response and is now accusing Russia of imperialism, while in fact Russia is defending itself from it.
As a justification for neo-colonial aspirations, the concept or rules-based order has been developed and is being implemented. As Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted, it “presupposes a racist division of the world into a group of exceptional states that a priori have the right to do everything they want and all other countries that must follow in the wake of the Golden Billion and cater to its interests.” After all, these “rules” are invented on the go to serve their own geopolitical objectives and have nothing to do with international law. In Latin America, many independent countries have not forgotten the Monroe Doctrine, which proclaimed the Western Hemisphere a zone of exclusive US influence. It is noteworthy that Washington to this day arrogantly refers to Latin America and the Caribbean as its “backyard” and regularly preaches to the countries in the region how to live and who to be friends with. This is their “fair” world order.
Attempts to create a new ideology of international relations based on the primitive formula of “democracy against autocracies” also serve the hegemonic plans of the United States and its allies. At the same time, in the 1960s Washington abandoned democratic solidarity with Latin Americans, opting to support military regimes. Many remember such unscrupulous actions and are in no hurry to take their cue from the United States, considering instead the strategic tradition of non-alignment.
The consequences of colonialism and the vicious practice of its manifestations today are among the main causes of serious imbalances in the development of states. The effort to reduce dependence on the US dollar proves that the world’s majority, including in the Global South, has come to realise this. Today not only Russia, but also other countries are consistently reducing the dollar’s share in financial transactions, working on switching to national currencies in international payments, and creating alternative payment and logistics systems. Experience shows that technological exchanges are possible today outside the Global North. Right now, there are real opportunities to build effective patterns of interaction and development bypassing the West or excluding it completely. Conditions are emerging for the final completion of the decolonisation process and the removal of international economic relations from under the control of a small group of states.
Some still consider it more profitable to remain dependent on the United States and its allies. That is their right. It is possible that this policy can bring certain dividends in the short term. However, strategically, such countries are missing the opportunity to become equal participants in the process of shaping a more just future global political, trade, economic and financial architecture. Moreover, historical experience shows that colonialists do not accept new members into their exclusive club. Freedom and independence must remain the fundamental principles for building statehood and preserving national identity.
Today it is more important than ever to make the right choice.