"And so the neighboring clans who knew of these things feared Umuofia, and would not go to war against it without trying a peaceful settlement first." (Achebe 12)
Part II - How is imperialism encouraged by patriotism, religion, &/or a sense of cultural / racial superiority in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart / the past?
This shows clearly that imperialism existed in Africa before the Europeans invaded. Imperialism is defined as a policy of extending power and influence through diplomacy or military force. Umuofia obviously has extended its power to the other villages, given that the other villages will always attempt to pay tribute rather than fight the Umuofia tribe. This exertion of power by the tribe is fueled by a sense of superiority developed in wars against weaker tribes. The Umuofia tribe enjoys the ability to dominate the surrounding area through the use of fear as a weapon. This pervasive fear, likely based as much on fables and tall tales as truth, creates the idea that the Umuofia tribe is undeniably in control, and their rule cannot be contested. In a similar way, the Europeans used their higher level of technology to create fear among those they conquered. They could not question their oppressors, because their rule was absolute.
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