The Ends and Means of Imperialism

One of the most pervasive evils of imperialism is that it treats people not as ends, but as means.

Immanuel Kant lectured that it is wrong to treat people as a means to an end, rather than as an end to themselves. This is referred to as Kant's categorical imperative, and it's treated as one of the greatest criticisms of utilitarianism.

In Ancient Rome gladiators were teated not as an ends in themselves -- not as fully-fledged autonomous human beings -- but rather as means. Spartacus "Legends", the characters of Lucretia (Lucy Lawless) and Ilithyia (Viva Bianca) demonstrate just such a disregard for the value of the Gladiators.

They treat Crixius (Manu Bennett) and Varro (Jai Courteny) as sex slaves. Crixius is exploited for Lucretia's pleasure. Varro is forced to copulate with a slave girl for the entertainment of a gathered crowd. Moreover, Lucretia commands Varro to couple with the woman again in order to tantalize Ilithyia.

Ilithyia and Lucretia live stridently decadent and opulent lives. They believe that they are entitled to this luxury -- so much so that Lucretia is willing to debauch Ilithyia so she and her husband may gain advantage over Gais Claudius Glaber, which will in turn aid them in maintaining their own threatened lifestyle.

Under modern consumerism, one finds a similar sense of entitlement in the exploitation of labour in the developing world.

Few consumers could honestly claim to be ignorant of the "high cost of low prices" paid by both the employees of a local Wal Mart, and by those who produce the products sold in these massive box stores.

Consumers shopping at these stores must simply feel entitled to the luxury of being able to purchase a package of tube socks for a mere $10, while the workers who would otherwise produce such products closer to home often go unemployed or underemployed.

Such consumers treat the producers of these products as a means to maintaining their own lifestyles rather than as ends to themselves. Otherwise, the thought of spending a few dollars more on their tube socks wouldn't be so unthinkable.