Abstract
For centuries, cultural imperialism was at the heart of the Western colonizing project around the globe. Economic and health policies were twin pillars that sustained the material and cultural hegemony over indigenous populations. Medicine played a pivotal role, both as a tool of the colonial expansion and a potent symbol of the superiority of Western culture. This paper examines the impact of economic and health policies on the lives of Indian migrant labourers and the indigenous people of Sri Lanka during British colonial rule.
Highlights
Western medicine introduced by European colonizers and missionaries has been portrayed as “God sent” for millions of lives in Africa, Asia, and the Americas
Even though Western medicine was regarded as an integral part of culture, medical services were rarely extended to the masses without reservations
Several studies have argued that medicine and medical services in the colonies evolved in response to the political and economic needs of Western imperialism
Summary
Western medicine introduced by European colonizers and missionaries has been portrayed as “God sent” for millions of lives in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Several studies have argued that medicine and medical services in the colonies evolved in response to the political and economic needs of Western imperialism They suggest that medicine played a critical role in the expansion of imperialism in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (3). The growing trade and the demand for raw materials increased the exploitation of land and other resources, and demanded the mass mobilization of cheap labor across colonies, a practice that directly contributed to the spread of disease Against this backdrop, we examine the impact of British colonial labor practices on the health of South Indian immigrant workers on the plantations and the local population of Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon) as a case study. Rockefeller philanthropic medicine failed to eradicate hookworm disease on the plantations because planters, not perceiving the mutual interdependence of their own economic interests and the health of the colonial labor, did not fully cooperate with the program (8)
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