The Enemy is Imperialism, Wherever It Exists
Decolonizing Russia is a worthy goal, but let's not forget the other imperial powers
In the wake of Russia's War in Ukraine, talk of decolonization has become a talking point within broader circles.
On June 23rd, the Helsinki Commission hosted a panel discussion on Decolonizing Russia. During the discussion, a comment by Casey Michel - author of American Kleptocracy - stood out to me:
"Russia remains the only remaining European empire that has never come close to fully reckoning with its colonial history."
To be blunt: It is not.
The point I think Michel was trying to convey was framed more thoroughly later in the discussion by Dr. Erica Marat. She explained the dramatic contrast between the Western debate over the damage caused by colonial and imperial histories and the utter absence of this debate in Russia.
Fair enough. But it bears remembering that plenty of centuries-old imperial powers still control a great deal of territory acquired under the auspices of the imperial ambitions of over a century ago. This is as true of Russia as it is of France, The United Kingdom, China, the United States, Japan, the Netherlands, Denmark, or Spain.
While I agree with the assessment of the Helsinki commission panelists regarding Russian decolonization, I believe it is essential to interrogate the persistence of imperialism wherever it remains. To that end, I want to take a moment to highlight some of the more prominent traces of imperial authority that remain in place today.
This is an incomplete list:
United Kingdom:
Northern Ireland
Anguilla
Bermuda
The British Virgin Islands
Cayman Islands
Falkland Islands
Gibraltar
Monserat
Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
Saint Helena, ascansion and Tristan da Cunha
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Akrotiri and Dhekelia
Turks and Caicos Islands
Technically independent states where Queen Elizabeth II remains head of state:
Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
The Bahamas
Belize
Canada
Jamaica
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Saint Kits and Nevis
Saint Lucia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Solomon Islands
Tuvalu
Denmark
The Faroe Islands
Greenland
The Netherlands
Aruba
Curaçao
Sint Maarten
France
Corsica
Réunion
Guadeloupe
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Martinique
Mayotte
New Caledonia
Saint Barthélemy
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Wallis and Futuna
Japan
Hokkaido
Okinawa
United States
Indigenous tribal nations
Hawai'i
Puerto Rico
Guam
American Samoa
The U.S. Virgin Islands
Russia
Siberia
Buryatia
Tatarstan
Chuvashia
Karelia
Chechnya
Circassia
China
East Turkestan
Manchukuo
Inner Mongolia
Tibet
Spain
The Plazas de Soberanía
Ceuta
Melilla
While I try to make it a point not to advocate for or against any specific separatist movement, I have a difficult time not showing my affinities when it comes to anti-colonial movements.
Yes, let's talk of Russian decolonization, but let's not forget that imperialism didn't just end simply because it can now be discussed publically in some countries.