Colonialism

One goal of this book is to elucidate the history of colonialism as a destructive global force, as well as a primary source of violence and immorality in American history and culture. The book develops this concept by beginning with the historical roots of colonialism, which are linked to destructive ideas of greed, selfishness, and excessive accumulation of wealth. As the book describes, colonialism has its roots in forcible accumulation of wealth, as well as cultural ideas that emphasize wealth as an ethic in itself. One specific concept that Dunbar-Ortiz highlights is the creation of the idea of land as private property, rather than as communal space. Additionally, cultural/religious reforms such as Calvinism promoted the idea that “good fortune, especially material wealth, was taken to be a manifestation of [predestined salvation” (48). These warped, selfish cultural ideas then spurred and enabled centuries of violent colonial conquest.

After establishing...