[Revised entry by Margaret Kohn and Kavita Reddy on January 17, 2023.
Changes to: Main text, Bibliography]
Colonialism is a practice of domination, which involves the subjugation of one people to another. At least since the Crusades and the conquest of the Americas, political theorists have used theories of justice, contract, and natural law to both criticize and justify European domination. In the nineteenth century, the contradiction between liberal ideals and colonial practice became particularly acute, as the dominion of Europe over the rest of the world reached its zenith. This entry begins with a definition of colonialism, and…

Originally appeared on Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Read More