How Europe launched a world rampage from 1492

COMMENT | Gertrude Kamya Othieno | The year 1492 is often remembered for Christopher Columbus’s voyage, but it marked more than exploration—it was the beginning of a world rampage. European powers, driven by greed and ambition, reshaped the globe through colonisation, exploitation, and violence, leaving a legacy of oppression that echoes today.

The “Discovery” of the Americas

Columbus’s arrival in the Americas in 1492 set the stage for brutal European expansion. Spain, Portugal, and later other European nations seized vast territories, decimating indigenous populations through disease, slavery, and violence. The thirst for gold and silver drove European economies, and indigenous lands and cultures were violently stripped away.

The devastation did not end there. The Atlantic slave trade saw millions of Africans forcibly transported to the Americas to work on European plantations. This dehumanising trade became central to Europe’s imperial ambitions, marking a cycle of exploitation that would spread across the globe.

Africa and the Scramble for Wealth

As Europe’s ambitions grew, Africa became a target for greater exploitation. The most infamous example is King Leopold II of Belgium, who claimed the Congo in the late 19th century under a guise of philanthropy. His reign over the Congo Free State led to the deaths of millions through forced labour and brutal conditions in the pursuit of rubber and ivory.

This greed culminated in the Berlin Conference of 1884-85, where European powers divided Africa without regard for its peoples or cultures. European nations carved up the continent to enrich themselves, leaving a legacy of political instability that persists to this day.

Asia: The Opium Wars and Economic Domination

Europe’s rampage extended eastward to Asia, where economic dominance was established through conflict. In the mid-19th century, Britain forced Indian opium onto China to balance its trade deficit, igniting the Opium Wars. When Chinese authorities resisted, Britain responded with military might, leading to China’s humiliation and forced trade concessions.

The Opium Wars (1839-1842 and 1856-1860) exemplified Europe’s ruthless exploitation of Asia, particularly China, which ceded Hong Kong and was opened to foreign control. This brutal form of economic imperialism left lasting scars on the region.

The Aftermath of Europe’s Rampage

From 1492 onwards, Europe’s quest for dominance brought waves of destruction. Empires rose on the backs of enslaved people, indigenous lands were seized, and entire regions were restructured to serve European interests. By the late 19th century, European powers controlled vast parts of the world, often maintaining their grip through violent means.

The impact of this rampage is still evident today. Former colonies continue to face economic challenges, political instability, and social fragmentation. The greed, violence, and exploitation that marked Europe’s global ventures from 1492 onward reshaped the world, leaving deep scars that persist.

In the end, Europe’s rampage was not about exploration or progress—it was about domination, fueled by the desire to control lands, resources, and peoples for European gain.

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Gertrude Kamya Othieno | Political Sociologist in Social Development (Alumna – London School of Economics/Political Science) | Email – gkothieno@gmail.com