Chapters 16, 17, 18

Chapters 16, 17, and 18

And the atrocities to humanity and the environment of the Modern Era continue in the next three chapters. The new ideas of the Enlightenment spur new innovation and thinking and revolution and freedom. The egalitarian ideals of Enlightenment that is only applicable to Europeans during Colonialism. The creation of the Bill of Rights putting the political ideas of the Enlightenment into Practice.

The idea of the three “estates” in France (clergy, nobility and commoners) with the first two estates consisting of only 2% reminds me of the recent protests by the 99%. I wonder, will the 99% rise up and create their own “National Assembly?” Rousseau’s worlds still resonate that the “handful of people should gorge themselves…while the hungry multitude goes in want of necessities.”

The abolition of slavery was certainly one of the positive outcomes during the modern era. Although the abiding poverty, lack of education, and limited skills kept them enslaved even though they were technically free, and “independence debt” enslaved their countries for many years after abolition.

The section on Feminist beginnings and the writings by Condorcet and Mary Wollstonecraft were amazing that they were broached as early as the 19^th century. Careers for women, although limited, were finally being viewed as acceptable for women to work for pay and outside the home. Although the negative aspect to jobs during the industrial revolution in factories were low wage, long hours, and unsafe conditions, they were still better than they’d had in their home countries. The possibility of owning a home and becoming middle class was a dream come true to many immigrants (something that is no longer possible in the Bay Area. It seems that so many are fleeing the Bay Area, and those that have lived here for generations can no longer afford to live here…myself included!).

I never truly understood Colonialism until I read chapter 18. It seems that with the abolishment of slavery, this was a convenient and righteous way for Europeans to reenslave them and keep control, demand free labor, and to convert them as well. Although some gained from missionary education, many countries were stripped of their identities and smacked with the label of inferior backed by the concept of social Darwinism. I was disgusted to read about the cruelties of forced labor for rubber in the Congo. Millions died or were maimed so we could have rubber for our Model T’s and bicycle tires. The inhumanity of man’s treatment of man never ceases to amaze me.