Blog post no.9: Question no.7. What do traders and NGO’S do for these cultures?

At first I wanted to answer the question “How different is your modern culture from the Sawi tenants?” but the answer is blog post 8 as I referred to the similarities in there. I did not want the entries to be reoccurring. Hence I choose “What do traders and NGO’s do for there cultures?” I think that they destroy the cultures by enforcing their way of living. However, I was not really sure so I thought I would check it out on so the internet. I looked up parts of the question on google.com and then I formed the answer below.
Traders may force the people to risk their lives working and farming. In earlier times the tribe’s people worked and farmed for their well being and they took what they needed. They had most likely organized how they would farm and who would farm where. Which land they wanted as farm land and which had to be left to lie fallow. When the traders come in they are made to work for the profit of the traders. This destroys indigenous farming communities depriving small farmers of their livelihood. Their normal daily activities are changed thus their culture is drastically modified. In the case of the Sawi I think they would have fought even though they were technologically way behind, I think they would have just killed the intruders and eaten them. Then again I could be wrong, they could be killed or made into slaves and threatened to work for their livelihood. The traders start being authoritative in the land that was never theirs to begin with. Even if the farmers do earn anything it would not be enough for them to live as they once did. This destroys their culture and their livelihood. “If you take away someone’s livelihood, and stack the deck heavily against them, take their land and erode their culture, what choices do they have?”
Non-governmental organizations have become a permanent figure in the extermination of the violation of human rights. They exist to act against violations of the human rights and help people in times of need. They are mostly non profitable organizations that function on donations. They bring in new policies and lifestyles. Both traders and NGOs form an imperialistic society and they force their beliefs on the unwilling populace. NGOs force western based rights on diverse cultures in many parts of the world ignoring their culture. This of course spoils their culture: “Cultural Relativist theory upholders believe that every culture has its own unique perception of what constitutes human rights and that since human rights are a by-product of western liberal intellectual thought it is seen as forcing ideals on unwilling and uneducated populaces. Since human rights are western based, it is only logical that the definition of human rights as propagated by non-governmental organizations will have an imperialistic feel in the countries they are being implemented in.”
They tend to emphasize the right to development and ignore the culture present only focusing on the goals.
Both traders and NGO’s would destroy the culture. Traders would have been the worst to enter a tribal community. NGO’s do destroy the culture but they do bring about positive change and help the people.
Citations:
Google.com

http://smallfarmersbigchange.coop/2008/02/07/part-2-how-free-trade-destroys-local-economies-hurts-small-farmers-and-causes-massive-waves-of-migration/

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/impact-of-ngos-on-international-stage.html
pictures from:http://www.gambianow.com/news/index.php?category=2&pg=65

http://www.firstpeople.us/pictures/art/1024x768/Fur-Traders-1024x768.html