Heart of Darkness: Capitalism as a Religion
Cecil Rhodes, founder of De Beers -- still the largest diamond company in the world -- and, effectively, "conqueror" of half of Africa, remains an extraordinary illustration of both the best and the worst in the human character, and in the human condition. The son of a country cleric, he transferred his early religious faith into a passionate fervor for the expansion of the British Empire by whatever means were necessary, as a manifestation of social Darwinism for the improvement and perfection of the human species. And, in so doing, he created an entire sub-culture of "eager young men", passionately attached to him and his "vision" -- not of a better world, but of a more British world.
Rhodes travelled to the diamond mines of South Africa as a teenager in the early 1870's, did well, used his money to take a degree at Oxford, returned to South Africa and used his charm and experience to take over the mineral markets of Africa. As his power and wealth increased, he obtained the legal right to use his companies to raise money for private armies, and to take huge tracts of African land from the natives by armed force. He was even successful in direct confrontations with the imperial armies of the other nations of Europe. It was Rhodes and his shareholders, against the world!
Rhodes started out as a champion and friend of the black natives, and ended up by exploiting them and denying them their rights. Basically, he was interested in money and power, and would take whatever route led most directly to this end. I don't believe Rhodes was particularly a racist. After all, it was Rhodes who caused the Boer War, in which virtually all women and children of the White Boer colonists were exterminated in concentration camps by the British imperialists. He would destroy anything in his way, regardless of race, age, gender or creed.
Rhodes was certainly one of the models for the character of "Kurtz" in Joseph Conrad's famous novella "Heart of Darkness". While the novel is more commonly associated with the Belgian Congo, and the cruder violence of small-scale traders in ivory against the natives, it seems clear that Conrad had in mind the broader implications of imperialism and exploitation in general. And no one ever was better at these than Rhodes! Fusing the "vision" of Rhodes with the crude tortures employed by imperialistic thugs against helpless natives gets to the "heart" of things here: religious perversion. The concept of tortured, mutilated natives worshipping their exploiters presents a pretty clear picture of what the capitalist-imperialists had in mind. And, it clarifies the parallel to the Roman imperialists with their Emperor-Gods that Conrad makes at the beginning of the book.
Because, this perversion of human nature is the "Horror" of which Kurtz dies whispering. The reduction of religion and human purpose to exploitation and control. Capitalism at its most extreme.
Just as in the Vietnam War, and Francis Ford Coppola's classic adaptation of "Heart of Darkness" as "Apocalypse Now". Just as now, with American mercenaries exploiting the people of Iraq for oil, money and power. Aided by Vice-President Richard Cheney's private Blackwater armies...the Horror...the Horror...
Cecil Rhodes, founder of De Beers -- still the largest diamond company in the world -- and, effectively, "conqueror" of half of Africa, remains an extraordinary illustration of both the best and the worst in the human character, and in the human condition. The son of a country cleric, he transferred his early religious faith into a passionate fervor for the expansion of the British Empire by whatever means were necessary, as a manifestation of social Darwinism for the improvement and perfection of the human species. And, in so doing, he created an entire sub-culture of "eager young men", passionately attached to him and his "vision" -- not of a better world, but of a more British world.
Rhodes travelled to the diamond mines of South Africa as a teenager in the early 1870's, did well, used his money to take a degree at Oxford, returned to South Africa and used his charm and experience to take over the mineral markets of Africa. As his power and wealth increased, he obtained the legal right to use his companies to raise money for private armies, and to take huge tracts of African land from the natives by armed force. He was even successful in direct confrontations with the imperial armies of the other nations of Europe. It was Rhodes and his shareholders, against the world!
Rhodes started out as a champion and friend of the black natives, and ended up by exploiting them and denying them their rights. Basically, he was interested in money and power, and would take whatever route led most directly to this end. I don't believe Rhodes was particularly a racist. After all, it was Rhodes who caused the Boer War, in which virtually all women and children of the White Boer colonists were exterminated in concentration camps by the British imperialists. He would destroy anything in his way, regardless of race, age, gender or creed.
Rhodes was certainly one of the models for the character of "Kurtz" in Joseph Conrad's famous novella "Heart of Darkness". While the novel is more commonly associated with the Belgian Congo, and the cruder violence of small-scale traders in ivory against the natives, it seems clear that Conrad had in mind the broader implications of imperialism and exploitation in general. And no one ever was better at these than Rhodes! Fusing the "vision" of Rhodes with the crude tortures employed by imperialistic thugs against helpless natives gets to the "heart" of things here: religious perversion. The concept of tortured, mutilated natives worshipping their exploiters presents a pretty clear picture of what the capitalist-imperialists had in mind. And, it clarifies the parallel to the Roman imperialists with their Emperor-Gods that Conrad makes at the beginning of the book.
Because, this perversion of human nature is the "Horror" of which Kurtz dies whispering. The reduction of religion and human purpose to exploitation and control. Capitalism at its most extreme.
Just as in the Vietnam War, and Francis Ford Coppola's classic adaptation of "Heart of Darkness" as "Apocalypse Now". Just as now, with American mercenaries exploiting the people of Iraq for oil, money and power. Aided by Vice-President Richard Cheney's private Blackwater armies...the Horror...the Horror...
posted by Jerry Kraus at 8:33 AM
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