Throughout history, deception has often been wielded as a tool of power, allowing empires to expand and subjugate others under the guise of progress and civilization. The phrase "So dark the con of man," popularized in literature, originally alluded to a conspiracy involving the Catholic Church. However, its implications extend far beyond religious institutions, reflecting a historical pattern of cunning malevolence and deception, particularly in the actions of European powers from the 16th century onward. This period marked the beginning of global European domination, characterized by conquest, exploitation, and systematic oppression.
The Caucasus region, historically home to diverse ethnic groups, has long been intertwined with European history.
"Slavic groups account for more than one-third of the total population of the Caucasus; they live in the north and consist mainly of Russians and Ukrainians. Additionally, there are Indo-European groups such as Kurds, Talysh, Tats, Greeks, and Roma (Gypsies) distributed throughout the region."
Despite its ethnic diversity, the expansionist ambitions of European powers led to widespread devastation and suffering, particularly in their colonization efforts across the globe.
One of the most egregious examples of European conquest was the colonization of the Americas. European settlers seized land through nefarious means, including mass killings, biological warfare, and coercion. A particularly heinous act was the deliberate spread of smallpox among Native American populations. Historical records suggest that European colonists, such as those in Point Coupee, Louisiana, distributed blankets infected with smallpox to indigenous peoples. This act of biological warfare was devastating, especially during the Trail of Tears, when thousands of Native Americans were forcibly removed from their ancestral lands and subjected to brutal conditions that led to mass deaths.
The Trail of Tears remains one of the darkest chapters in American history. Between 1830 and 1850, approximately 60,000 members of the "Five Civilized Tribes"—the Cherokee, Muscogee, Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw—were forcibly relocated from their homes in the Southeastern United States to designated Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma.
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 facilitated this forced displacement, driven by the discovery of gold in Georgia in 1828. The Cherokee removal of 1838 was particularly catastrophic, with over 4,000 of the 15,000 displaced Cherokees perishing due to hunger, disease, and exhaustion.
"In 1838 and 1839, as part of Andrew Jackson's Indian removal policy, the Cherokee Nation was forced to migrate westward. The Cherokee people called this journey the 'Trail of Tears' because of its devastating effects."
The exploitation and suffering inflicted by European and American institutions did not end with indigenous genocide. The 20th century bore witness to further atrocities, such as the infamous Tuskegee Syphilis Study. Conducted between 1932 and 1972 by the U.S. Public Health Service in collaboration with the Tuskegee Institute, this study sought to examine the natural progression of untreated syphilis in Black men under the pretense of providing medical care. The study involved 600 Black men—399 with syphilis and 201 without. Researchers withheld effective treatment, even after penicillin became widely available, leading to the prolonged suffering and deaths of numerous participants. The men, unaware of their true condition, were instead told they were receiving treatment for “bad blood.” They were offered free medical exams, meals, and burial insurance, but ultimately, they were subjects of a cruel and unethical experiment designed to study their slow and painful demise.
Such calculated cruelty was not isolated to America. The history of European-driven violence extends across continents, from the transatlantic slave trade to the colonization of Africa and Asia. The ideology that fueled these atrocities—one of inherent European superiority—perpetuated systemic violence, economic exploitation, and the suppression of entire cultures.
Today, the residual effects of these historical injustices persist in systemic inequalities, economic disparities, and racial tensions worldwide.
Even in modern times, the consequences of these historical deceptions shape global politics. Violence and instability in the United States and Russia, albeit manifesting in different forms, can be traced to legacies of European expansionism and imperialism. While Russia’s autocratic rule maintains a semblance of order, the United States experiences continuous cycles of conflict, often under the pretense of defending freedom and democracy. However, history has shown that wars fought in the name of freedom often yield fleeting victories, leading to further divisions and unrest rather than lasting peace.
Nations seeking to break free from this cycle must heed the wisdom of history. As one of the most influential leaders of the modern era once proclaimed,
"There is still a voice crying through the vistas of time, saying to every potential Peter, 'Put up your sword.' History is replete with the bleached bones of nations and communities that failed to follow this command."
These words serve as a powerful reminder that the path to true progress lies not in the perpetuation of violence and deception but in justice, accountability, and the pursuit of truth.
The con of man—rooted in centuries of manipulation, exploitation, and calculated cruelty—has shaped the world in profound ways. By acknowledging these dark legacies and working toward genuine reconciliation, societies can strive to dismantle the systems of oppression that have long dictated the course of history. Only through truth and accountability can humanity move toward a future free from the shadows of its past.
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