The Imperial Age 1880-The Imperial Age 1880-19141914

IMPERIALISMIMPERIALISM

A practice by which powerful nations or A practice by which powerful nations or peoples seek to extend and maintain peoples seek to extend and maintain control or influence over weaker nations or control or influence over weaker nations or peoplespeoples

Colonialism usually implies formal political Colonialism usually implies formal political control, involving territorial annexation control, involving territorial annexation and loss of sovereigntyand loss of sovereignty

Imperialism refers, more broadly, to Imperialism refers, more broadly, to control or influence that is exercised either control or influence that is exercised either formally or informally, directly or formally or informally, directly or indirectly, politically or economicallyindirectly, politically or economically

IMPERIALISMIMPERIALISM

Early modern European imperialism generally Early modern European imperialism generally took the form of overseas colonial expansiontook the form of overseas colonial expansion

Rather than one state attempting to unify the Rather than one state attempting to unify the world, in this period many competing states world, in this period many competing states established political control over territories in established political control over territories in South and Southeast Asia and in the New South and Southeast Asia and in the New WorldWorld

Imperial systems were organized according to Imperial systems were organized according to the doctrine of mercantilism: the doctrine of mercantilism: Each imperial state attempted to control the trade Each imperial state attempted to control the trade

of its colonies, in order to monopolize the benefits of its colonies, in order to monopolize the benefits of that trade. of that trade.

IMPERIALISMIMPERIALISM In the mid-19th century imperialism of free In the mid-19th century imperialism of free

trade was the main focustrade was the main focus European, especially British, power and European, especially British, power and

influence were extended informally, influence were extended informally, mainly through diplomatic and economic mainly through diplomatic and economic means, rather than formally, through means, rather than formally, through direct colonial ruledirect colonial rule

The imperialism of free trade, however, The imperialism of free trade, however, was short-lived: was short-lived: By the end of the 19th century, European By the end of the 19th century, European

powers were once again practicing imperialism powers were once again practicing imperialism in the form of overseas territorial annexation, in the form of overseas territorial annexation, expanding into Africa, Asia, and the Pacificexpanding into Africa, Asia, and the Pacific

•http://cla.calpoly.edu/~lcall/decolonization.jpg•http://regentsprep.org/Regents/global/themes/imperialism/jeopardy/index.cfm

•http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/epaus/econ213/africa_colonies.gif

•http://www.uiowa.edu/~c016003d/Resources/Timelinecolonial.gif

IMPERIALISMIMPERIALISMThe Economic Motive The Economic Motive

Proponents of this view hold that states are Proponents of this view hold that states are motivated to dominate others by the need to motivated to dominate others by the need to expand their economies, to acquire raw expand their economies, to acquire raw materials and additional sources of labor, or to materials and additional sources of labor, or to find outlets for surplus capital and markets for find outlets for surplus capital and markets for surplus goodssurplus goods

The most prominent economic theories, linking The most prominent economic theories, linking imperialism with capitalism, are derived from imperialism with capitalism, are derived from those of Karl Marxthose of Karl Marx

Lenin, for example, explained the European Lenin, for example, explained the European expansion of the late 19th century as the expansion of the late 19th century as the inevitable outcome of the need for the inevitable outcome of the need for the European capitalist economies to export their European capitalist economies to export their surplus capitalsurplus capital

IMPERIALISMIMPERIALISMPolitical MotivesPolitical Motives

Nation-states are motivated to expand Nation-states are motivated to expand primarily by the desire for power, primarily by the desire for power, prestige, security, and diplomatic prestige, security, and diplomatic advantages vis-à-vis other statesadvantages vis-à-vis other states

In this view, late 19th-century French In this view, late 19th-century French imperialism was intended to restore imperialism was intended to restore France's international prestige after its France's international prestige after its humiliating defeat in the Franco-humiliating defeat in the Franco-Prussian WarPrussian War

IMPERIALISMIMPERIALISMIdeological MotivesIdeological Motives

Political, cultural, or religious beliefs force states Political, cultural, or religious beliefs force states into imperialism as a "missionary activity" into imperialism as a "missionary activity"

Britain's colonial empire was motivated at least Britain's colonial empire was motivated at least in part by the idea that it was the "white man's in part by the idea that it was the "white man's burden" to civilize "backward" peoplesburden" to civilize "backward" peoples

Germany's expansion under Hitler was based in Germany's expansion under Hitler was based in large measure on a belief in the inherent large measure on a belief in the inherent superiority of German national culturesuperiority of German national culture

The desire of the U.S. to "protect the free world" The desire of the U.S. to "protect the free world" and of the former Soviet Union to "liberate" the and of the former Soviet Union to "liberate" the peoples of Eastern Europe and the Third World peoples of Eastern Europe and the Third World are also examples of imperialism driven by are also examples of imperialism driven by moral and ideological concerns. moral and ideological concerns.

IMPERIALISMIMPERIALISMEffects of ImperialismEffects of Imperialism

The truth has been difficult to ascertain for at The truth has been difficult to ascertain for at least two reasons: least two reasons: – (1) No consensus has been reached on the meaning (1) No consensus has been reached on the meaning

of exploitationof exploitation– (2) it is frequently difficult to disentangle the domestic (2) it is frequently difficult to disentangle the domestic

causes of poverty from those that are possibly causes of poverty from those that are possibly internationalinternational

Impact of imperialism is uneven: Impact of imperialism is uneven: – Some poor nations have enjoyed greater economic Some poor nations have enjoyed greater economic

benefits from contact with the rich than have others benefits from contact with the rich than have others (i.e.. India, Brazil, and other developing nations have (i.e.. India, Brazil, and other developing nations have even begun to compete economically with their former even begun to compete economically with their former colonial powerscolonial powers