Topic > Exterminate All The Brutes by Sven Lindqvist and the European dark history in Africa

The book “Exterminate All the Brutes” by Sven Lindqvist is an in-depth investigation of the European “dark history” on the African continent, as well as the roots of genocide. Addressing the book "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad, Sven Lindqvist starts from its conception and explores colonial history. Traces the activities of European missionaries, explorers, officials and historians on the African continent from the end of the 18th century. Furthermore, the author investigates the origins of the genocide through his personal journey to the Sahara Desert. As Lindqvist demonstrates, concepts of white superiority and the actual destructions that followed catered to colonialism and the racist concept of Europeans that ultimately resulted in the local Holocaust. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay To begin with, the issues discussed in Lindqvist's work were first raised by Joseph Conrad. The draft of his book "Heart of Darkness" was sketched during his service on a boat in the Belgian Congo in 1890, which provided him with great experience. This work is one of the most profound research on the African continent that creates a connection between Victorian values ​​and modernist concepts. In the context of the time, the essays were grounded in traditional conceptions of heroism, addressing new ideals in a changing world. At that time, women served as arbiters of morality and nepotism, but they were not yet reflected in the work. Like the rest of the worthy modernist literature created in the early decades of the twentieth century, Conrad'book is about confusion, alienation, and deep hesitations about imperialism. At the time of its creation, most of the “dark places” globally were under European supremacy. Therefore, European authorities were forced to allocate their officials to the protection of vast empires. As a result, gaps in the system began to emerge: local wars, uprisings and clashes threatened Europeans inhabiting all territories of the empires. In both Europe and Africa the geopolitical situation was clearly unstable. In the book “Heart of Darkness”, it is represented as the natural outcome of people operating outside of a social system of balance and controls. Following this idea, Lindqvist investigates the development of racism in Europe and the consequences it has on other continents. At first, the concept of racism was shaped within the framework of science; to demonstrate this, the author provides the particular plan of one of the British academic institutions: “Under European rule, Africans will dig ditches and irrigate deserts. It will be hard work and Africans themselves will probably become extinct. We must learn to look at this result with composure." Lindqvist also notes that such official statements were widespread throughout the 19th century. Their impact on the further development of colonialism resulted in the death of millions of people and the economic plunder of entire continents. The European conquerors were equipped with advanced weapons and thus could claim their dominion over the native inhabitants to an unlimited extent. Lindqvist provides examples of the large-scale destruction and violence that Native people and their culture had to deal with. In this context, they can be explained with the complete justification linked to both the state ideology and the religion of the metropolis. Europeans arriving in new territories had no moral constraints and thus were easily caught up in a “scorched earth” activity on the continents, resulting in millions of deaths in their wake. The conquerors were ruthless because they believed,.