Reparations are any type of compensation made by one party to another,, and on a global scale, they have been viewed as a golden solution to historical injustices. For countries that have faced persecution in the past, reparations are made as an apology so the offending  countries are not permanently indebted to them. However, the most common types of reparations lack sincere and tangible impact; they blanket over real issues and are not enough to make up for past mistakes. 

The most common type of reparations is monetary compensation. A notable example of this is after World War 2, when Germany decided to take action for the atrocities that occurred during the Holocaust. The country paid $86.8 billion to Holocaust victims and their descendants. Although this amount was significant, it was only directed towards certain countries like Israel and Western nations. Others were excluded, including survivors in Eastern Europe who didn’t receive enough money to make a living off of. Another example is the reparations made by Germany after colonialism in Africa. Two years ago, Germany agreed to pay Namibia $1.3 billion in reparations for the genocide committed in the early 1900s. This amount, labeled “insultingly low” by critics of the Herero and Nama people, is barely enough to make up for the fact that tens of thousands of Namibians were slaughtered between the years of 1904 and 1908. This exclusion shows how more than just lip service should be taken in order to help a country.  

When Britain colonized India, India’s share of the global economy was 23% but after Britain left, it trickled down to 4%. During the British Raj, Britain exploited India’s resources for their own benefit and their rule contributed to the country’s deindustrialization. Since then, Britain has not paid any reparations to India for the economic exploitation and harm they inflicted upon the country, simply because it could damage their own economy.

These examples demonstrate how monetary compensation does not suffice to compensate for the societal, physical, and emotional suffering countries have endured due to persecution. For instance, the lost cultural identities and generational trauma cannot be healed with financial reparations. While money is good to use towards a certain extent, to address these injustices, other forms of reparations, like symbolic gestures and restitution, are also needed. 

For instance, if Britain is unable to compensate India with money, they can try to do so through other means, such as returning the Kohinoor diamond. The Kohinoor diamond is the largest cut diamond in the world and was originally mined in South India. Britain took it after colonizing the country and has not returned it back. Restitution can be an effective way to express apology towards countries that have suffered. Even symbolic gestures, such as formal, public apologies and memorials, can effectively acknowledge harm and foster emotional healing. 

Some may believe that these reparations are not required, as countries should not be held accountable for what people in the past committed. While they may not have actually committed the crimes, the descendants of those in colonized countries continue to feel the effects of colonization today. The responsibility for reparations should be still taken into account by people today in order to right the wrongs of the past. Overall, reparations can help level disadvantages in power between countries caused by colonization.