Colonialism, Reparations, and the Rise of ‘White Guilt’

In America and much of the West, it's become axiomatic to regard colonialism as a stain on human history. The story told in classrooms and popular culture is one of unrelenting exploitation of hapless people of color by white imperialists. And the narrative has contemporary relevance: demands for reparations for the victims of oppression - But is the modern West's history really a litany of crimes against humanity? Should we pay reparations to the victims?

On this episode of Free Expression, Gerry Baker explores these themes with Nigel Biggar, author of “Reparations: Slavery and the Tyranny of Imaginary Guilt.” They discuss Lord Biggar’s experiences in the “culture wars,” the attempts to silence him, and take a critical look at the belief that a debt needs to be paid to the descendants of slaves.  

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