In the last months, a new ‘historikerstreit’ – a debate between historians – has exploded in Europe over the relative horrors of the Holocaust and colonialism. In my opinion, it is an argument where there can be no winner.
From all i've seen, this debate isn't about which one was worse. It's about chuds desperately denying that colonialism is the direct historical predecessor to fascism and developed both the genocidal methods of and the racist ideology foundational for fascism.
Framing it as a debate which was worse is a rhethoric smokescreen to create moral and emotional leverage as a defense for colonial genocide. Fascism is a colonialism on steroids that fortunately was so incoherent and maladjusted to reality that it collapsed after barely more than one decade, and from that follows that of course fascism was worse in that it did in a few years what colonialism usually did over centuries, and of course colonialism was worse in that it went on so much longer and on a much larger, worldwide scale. That isn't a question, or rather: It only becomes a question if you are a holocaust denialist, a colonialism apologist or both.
From all i've seen, this debate isn't about which one was worse. It's about chuds desperately denying that colonialism is the direct historical predecessor to fascism and developed both the genocidal methods of and the racist ideology foundational for fascism.
Framing it as a debate which was worse is a rhethoric smokescreen to create moral and emotional leverage as a defense for colonial genocide. Fascism is a colonialism on steroids that fortunately was so incoherent and maladjusted to reality that it collapsed after barely more than one decade, and from that follows that of course fascism was worse in that it did in a few years what colonialism usually did over centuries, and of course colonialism was worse in that it went on so much longer and on a much larger, worldwide scale. That isn't a question, or rather: It only becomes a question if you are a holocaust denialist, a colonialism apologist or both.