Imperialism: Olive oil and calico

At the beginning of my previous article titled “How Does Imperialism Use Food as a Weapon?”, I quoted the United States’ Secretary of State Kissinger, the number one enemy of the world's working people, regarding global hegemony: “If you control the oil, you can control nations; if you control the food, you can control the people.”

I expressed how the thinking of the man called Kissinger began to be implemented in Turkey starting from the 1950s in my article titled “Imperialism: Olive Oil and Calico”, which I penned years ago on October 29, 2010.

Upon requests from my readers, I am presenting this article for your consideration once again.

“Imperialism: Olive Oil and Calico”

Imperialism uses many tools. One of these is socio-cultural globalization (or cultural imperialism). With this approach, the idea is that the socio-cultural structures of central countries can also be valid for third countries; in other words, it is about zeroing out cultural differences between societies. In this context, it is imposed that modernity in every subject, from food and entertainment culture to music, language, and behavior, must pass through similarity to the central countries. This is briefly called the McDonald’s-ization culture.

What is the Agricultural Origin of Cultural Imperialism?

After the Second World War, industrial agriculture began to become a dominant situation, especially in Western or central countries, or in the Monopoly Companies (MC) under their control—the opposite can also be said. Through the new technologies they developed and extraordinary subsidies, these countries reached stocks of agricultural products and inputs far above their needs. Over time, they no longer had a need for agricultural product imports, which they had previously acquired cheaply from peripheral countries. On the contrary, finding markets for what they produced themselves became a necessity. For this reason, they put neo-liberal economic policies into effect under the cover of globalization in the direction of setting back, or even collapsing, the agricultural production of peripheral countries. Aiming for this, they lowered World Exchange Prices for agricultural products below those of peripheral countries and engaged in dumping, but while doing so, they took all kinds of measures to protect their own domestic markets.

How Was Cultural Imperialism Applied?

One of the most typical tools of cultural imperialism became activities to change consumption habits. Instead of local consumer products and goods, the products and approaches of monopoly global companies were attempted to be transferred into minds.

In this context, media and art were used. Foreign ideas were spread through film, music, and the internet. It was aimed to create human communities that dress, think, and consume similarly. It was desired to increase external dependency in thought and mentality.

The folk song “I Cannot Eat Olive Oil” also became one of these. The lyrics of the song were: “I cannot eat olive oil/I cannot wear a calico dress/I cannot call an ignorant person like you/My master/I cannot call my master.”

Imperialism and Olive Oil

Two important elements emerged in the folk song.

One of these is olive oil.

After the Second World War, America followed an economic policy under the Marshall Plan aid to make its world hegemony dominant. One of these was the issue of selling corn oil and margarine, which had increasingly become stock in their hands, to peripheral countries under the guise of grants.

Imperialism and Calico

The second product was calico, which was worn by the peasantry that made up the bulk of the population in those years. Because calico was a product of independence in the Young Republic. The republic, founded under poverty, needed to primarily meet the needs for the three whites: flour, sugar, and cloth (calico). The Nazilli Calico Factory was also producing the highest quality calico. Years later, the quality of these calicoes would be lowered, and the villagers would move away from wearing calico(*).

As a result, it can be said that the lyrics of the folk song “I Cannot Eat Olive Oil” are a product of wanting to alienate people from olive oil and calico by humiliating them.

However, it is stated by media outlets kept under control that this folk song belongs to the Bursa region and was compiled by Muzaffer Sarısözen in 1954. According to the story, it is also accepted as an anonymous work describing the complaints of a bride or a lover who cannot get used to the palate and clothing of a region tied to its traditions, and who is complaining about the situation (**).

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(*) I heard about the issue of lowering the quality of calico at the Nazilli Calico Factory from a retired master who had worked at the factory. The master, who is long deceased now, had explained that the quality of the cotton and dye used in calico production was intentionally lowered, and for this reason, the people who used the calico were not satisfied, and the color faded and the fabric fell apart after washing.

As is known, the Nazilli Calico Factory was one of the most important factories of the early republic. Its foundation was laid in 1935, and it was opened by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1937. It is known that the factory was closed in 1999 due to its inability to keep up with technology after the 1950s, accumulated debts, and economic inefficiency. Could the questions that should be asked be these? Why were technological innovations not made? Why was employment inflated? The factory was transferred to Adnan Menderes University by the Privatization Administration in 2002. It is stated that it is currently being utilized as a campus and social area.

(**) Even if it is true that this folk song was compiled by Muzaffer Sarısözen, why was it allowed to become widespread? Was it not realized that this would bring negative consequences for Turkey? Or were our brains washed?

October 29, 2010