Light

Assimilation

Definition

Assimilation refers to the policy adopted by European colonial powers in their colonies, where they aimed to replace the local cultures and traditions with their own. This was done through various means such as language, education, religion, and laws.

Analogy

Imagine you're at a party where everyone is wearing different colored hats. The host decides that everyone should wear the same red hat to create uniformity. Similarly, assimilation is like the colonial powers wanting everyone in their colonies to adopt their culture and become similar to them.

Related terms

Cultural Hegemony: Cultural hegemony refers to the dominance of one culture over others within a society or region.

Indirect Rule: Indirect rule is a method employed by colonial powers where local elites are used as intermediaries to govern on behalf of the colonizers.

Paternalism: Paternalism was a policy followed by colonial powers that treated indigenous people as children who needed guidance and protection from European rulers.