Our Institute is finishing up a report on the origins of World War II with emphasis on the rivalry between Great Britain and Fascist Italy.  It’s been an eye-opening research project that has much to do with the colonialism of the 1930s.  For the great powers colonies were a source of global prestige, even if they were often economic burdens.  Little did they know that losing those colonies would not end those burdens but risk their homeland’s cultural and ethnic identity.

Today’s news is full of migration-gone-wild stories.  Our southern “border” is a mere suggestion as millions of illegals from over 100 countries have crossed it unimpeded so far this year.  In Europe, the nation of Belarus has invited in thousands of Middle Eastern migrants with a promise to help them crash the border into the European Union through Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania.  The aliens are bussed to the border and even given wire cutters. (This “noble” gesture is meant to punish the EU for sanctions it put on Belarus for undemocratic activities.)  In Israel, Jews are divided over taking in thousands of Ethiopian “Jews” at risk during the current civil war in that country.  African Jews already make up 2% of Israel’s population, thanks to past generosity.

If it seems that half the world’s population is in dire straits, you would be correct.  If it seems that only Western democracies can save these despondent people, that’s also what they believe.  Powerhouse Red China doesn’t take any of these masses in, nor does wealthy Japan.  Although oil-rich Islamic nations have accepted some fellow Muslim migrants, the vast majority of these illegal migrants dream of Europe, the United States, and Canada.  The more “racist” we are labeled, the more attractive we seem to be. 

The academic excuse for this vast population shift is that the West exploited the rest of the world over centuries through colonialism, and polluted the Earth since the Industrial Revolution causing today’s Climate Change.  In short, our chickens are coming home to roost.  Former colonials in Africa, Central America, and Asia are “colonizing” the fat-cat nations of Europe and North America which caused their misery.  Even Red China, which is still planting ethnic colonies in non-Han territories of Tibet and “East Turkistan,” considers itself a victim of the West. 

Although colonialism is a thing of the past, the West is still sustaining its former colonies with billions of dollars each year to keep them solvent.  Our humanitarian aid to these “developing” countries is never-ending.  Even India, once the gem of Great Britain’s empire, still receives $4 Billion in international aid.  In return, these former colonies export millions of immigrants to the West.

Colonialism came to a precipitous end with World War II.  The war impoverished Great Britain and France.  Colonial discontent was energized as rebels watched their imperial masters, Belgium, Holland, and France, easily overrun by the Nazis.  They saw Italy defeated and its colonies freed.  Europe was on its knees and unable to cope with “national liberation” movements. Britain could no longer deal with even non-violent Mahatma Gandhi in 1947.  France gave its fellow Europeans the ultimate lesson when it was humiliated by Vietnamese and Algerian rebels in the 1950s.  By the 1960s, colonialism was history – so was the once vibrant European population that had exported people to the world for centuries.  European wars drained domestic labor, which even now has to be imported from the old colonies.

Great Britain bears the most responsibility for the abrupt end of colonialism.  Had the Brits reached an accommodation with Italy over control of Gibraltar and the Suez Canal – the gateways to the world’s oceans for Italy – Hitler would not have had an Axis partner.  This scenario will be laid out in our new Institute report Why World War II?  An Italian Version, to be published early next year.

An understanding between Italy and Great Britain before 1939 would have left western Europe and the Mediterranean at peace.  (Hitler’s plans were always directed at eastern Europe.) The colonial empires would not be at risk.  Even the Japanese would think twice about invading European colonies in Asia with Europe’s population and militaries intact.

Without WW II, colonial independence would probably have evolved into a tighter commonwealth relationship: population movements limited, and economic/political stability within former colonies strongly coordinated with the “mother” country.  With stable commonwealth governments, financial aid would be minimal.

Alternative history, to be sure, but nice to contemplate. -JLM