Is It True? ‘Christian Missionaries Were the Foot Soldiers of Colonialism, They Were Instrumental in the Pacification of Colonized People Across the Globe’. Drawing on at Least Two Case Studies of Christian Missionary

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Colonialism as defined by Schultz and Lavenda ‘refers to a social system in which political conquest by one society of another leads to “cultural domination with enforced social change”(Beidelman 1982, 2)’(Schultz & Lavenda, 2009: 79) Throughout history where colonialism has occurred, missionaries particularly Christian have roots. This essay evaluates the claim that ‘Christian missionaries were the foot soldiers of colonialism, they were instrumental in the pacification of colonized people across the globe’. The stand this argument takes, is yes Christian missionaries were instrumental in laying the groundwork for colonialism. Missionaries accomplished social change through the methods of education, technology, authority and incorporating themselves into the lives of the native peoples. In many cases this lead to “cultural domination” of a society particularly an acceptance of western values and the capitalist market. ‘British missionaries went to Papua New Guinea in order to create a new moral body: a Christian character that would fit into Great Britain’s colonial world.’ (Fife, 2001:251) In “Creating the moral body: missionaries and the technology of power in early Papua New Guinea” Wayne Fife, identifies the roles that Christian missionaries played in the colonization of Papua New Guinea. Education, Wayne argues was the most important value that the missions implemented on the peoples of Papua New Guinea. It served foremost to the youth, who in the missions eyes, were easier to convert than the adults. Schools were used to promote ‘regularity and conformity’ as well as to teach its students the British values, and the bible. In addition schools accommodated authoritarian structures ‘the behavioral ideal, for both student and teachers, seemed to be the development of good work habits along with the willing acceptance of European leadership.’ (Fife,

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