Freemasonry and Colonialism

The lack of attention to and debate regarding Freemasonry's relationship with colonialism is perplexing given that the masonic and colonial worlds were fundamentally intertwined and mutually dependent. This chapter traces Freemasonry's spread through and via the overseas empires of the British, Dutch, and French. It examines the role of Freemasonry in western empires and colonial societies. The chapter argues that the brotherhood achieved great success because Freemasonry's brand of fraternalism (defined as both an ideology and a practice) was particularly well suited to meet the needs of men engaged in empire building. It explores what happened when Freemasonry's ideology of cosmopolitan fraternalism encountered the rich diversity of western colonial empires. The chapter discusses the circumstances in which non-Europeans were admitted into Freemasonry, analyzing both the justifications European Masons offered for either excluding or including indigenous men and the reasons why indigenous men joined the brotherhood. Keywords: British empire; colonialism; Dutch empire; European masons; Freemasonry; French empire; western colonial empires

Archaeology · Art · Colonialism · Global Maritime and Colonial Histories · History · Philosophy