Colonisation; American and British perspectives
Political Violence is a phenomenon in which people and governments around the world us it for meeting their political goals. Different groups as well as individuals believe that their political systems will never respond to their political demands as a result the need for violence is justified by them. Many governments around the world also think that violence could really settle their popularity as well as us them for defending their country from threats and invasions (Political Violence).
Social violence is organized violence. It is a type of social combat used in context of group interests and goals. Social violence can also be spontaneous. Some psychologist’s have also classified social violence as pathological violence. Political and social violence have often occurred as a result of disagreements between the two major colonists of the world, America and Britain. One of the major violence between the two nations was the American war of independence (Dennen).
In the late 1700’s disagreements between British and American forces occurred which led to bloody violence like the Boston massacre and the Boston tea party. Angry responses from Britain even increased the indignation of the colonials against British forces. This violence ultimately led to the revolutionary wart in the 13 American colonies. Among the things that led for disagreements was resentment of parliamentary taxation, military measures of the British, civil liberty restrictions and legacy of the American ideas related to religion and politics.
One of the main causes of the rebellion between the two was the resentment of the stamp act. The stamp act was imposed by Britain for recovering the debt incurred by colonies during the Indian war and the French war. The act was severely hated by colonists because they felt that only their own colony legislatures had the authority to levy and collect taxes. As a measure of protest many people living in the colonies boycotted British goods and they sometimes tarred and feathered tax collectors also. Boycott of British goods severely affected the British economy. As a result of pressure from the merchants, finally the British parliament repaid the tax reluctantly. But even though the tax was withdrawn, the Americans grew suspicious about the British.
In addition to the stamp act, restriction of civil liberties also strained relations between British and Americans. The act that was used by the British for restricting civil liberties of Americans was the Quartering act. This act required the American colonists to board British troops and provides them with provisions when necessary. Moreover colonial governments were also asked to pay for stationing troops in their colonies. Other measures that led to disagreements were the intolerable acts which closed the Boston harbour until the damages for the Boston tea party was paid. This act also prohibited town meetings of people. In addition to this military measures followed by the British also aroused disagreement between the two. Unpopular military measures followed by Britain like stationing troops at Boston, which led to Boston massacre also ruined the relations between the two colonists.
Another disagreement factor between the British and American colonists was the threat the Americans felt to their religious and political ideas. The British who were protestants did not encourage spreading of catholic faith in colonies. Some colonists even felt that protestant religion and republican government ideas were damaged after the passing of the Quebec act which supported the Catholics.
Several factors have led to the American Revolutionary War such as parliamentary
Taxation, civil liberty restrictions, intolerable British military Measures and the disrespect of the heritage of American religious as well as political ideas. Conceivably the most important of all the measures was the Stamp Act, which was the first act that provoked colonists to dissent. Its revoke fortified the colonists’ confidence that Parliament had no authority to Charge tax on the colonies without the colonial legislature’s consent (Factors of Rebellion. 2010).
Historically British and American colonists have their share of indifferences. One of the major causes of the American war of independence was the disagreement between British and American separatists. There was significant differences in colonial interests between American colonists and that of the British, those who migrated from Britain for religious reasons believed that they have been called to take part in an event which had both spiritual as well as historical significance. They insisted on individual efforts and moralities in order to achieve economic and spiritual success.
The British colonists have a different form of outlook where freedom was given more importance. Freedom in their viewpoint was both individual and collective. However freedom that was expressed in the covenant was restricted through religious ideals. Political differences were unthinkable in this context.
After the withdrawal of British from American mainland, most of the people living in colonies were free holders. They escaped the label of tenants. Individual liberty and equality belief was widely accepted. When compared with the life styles of British colonists, American society was fluid in structure where origins were counted for less than individual achievements. They strived to cerate opportunities to anyone. Moreover American colonists gave importance to education than the British (The American colonies: Religion and Politics.2010).
Reference:
The American colonies : Religion and Politics. (2010). Retrieved on July, 7 2010 from:http://www.skyminds.net/anglo-american-civilisation/from-the-reformation-to-the-birth-of-the-american-nation-1534-1776/the-american-colonies-religion-and-politics/
Dennen.J.M. THEORIES OF POLITICAL AND SOCIAL VIOLENCE. (n.d). Retrieved on July, 7 2010 from:
http://rechten.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/FILES/root/Algemeen/overigepublicaties/2005enouder/A-VIOL/A-VIOL.pdf
Factors of Rebellion in the 13 American Colonies. (2010). Retrieved on July, 7 2010 from http://www.docshare.com/doc/103612/Factors-of-Rebellion-in-the-13-American-Colon
Political Violence. (n.d). Retrieved on July,7 2010 from:
http://polisci.nelson.com/violence.html
