Capitalism as a form of Neo-colonialism in Edward Zwick’s movie Blood Diamond

Abstract

Edward Zwick’s movie Blood Diamond unravels the aftermath of excessive exploitation of natural resources carried out in direct or indirect assistance of foreign investors. These investors, or new capitalists, precisely ‘neo-capitalists’ are the ones who penetrate into the economy of poor nations and exploit their natural resources in favour of their interests and benefits. This in turn invites internal conflict and political instability, harming the life and living of the people of the region. These incidents, in turn, fuel insurgency, as in Sierra Leone, an African nation rich for its diamond mines. The coming of the neo-capitalists in Sierra Leone helped the insurgents with arms. The arrival of capitalists in a poor economy is often troublesome rather than a solution. These new-capitalists not only exploit the local resources, but also invite political chaos and insurgency. In return, the new capitalists are rewarded with diamonds to be exported in the Western market. In this vicious circle of lust and greed two characters – Danny Archer, a mercenary turned smuggler and Solomon Vandy, a local fisherman get entangled for material and humane issues, respectively. Archer wants to quit his past but diamond is the only gateway, and Solomon wants to reunite with his family, and bring home his brainwashed son, Dia, a child recruit in one of the anti-government forces.