Imperialism Notes
Definition: when a nation extends its control over another country’s government and economy.
- The colonizing country is the mother country / colonizer
- The acquired territories are the colonies.
Early Modern Period, Britain, Spain and Portugal were already colonial powers.
“New Imperialism” begins in the mid-19th century. Led by Britain and France. USA, Germany,
Italy, Russia, Japan, Netherlands, Belgium and the Ottoman Empire joined later.
Motivations for Imperialism
- Economic, Religious, Political and Ideological factors.
Economic: -Industrialization, demand for natural resources increased, as well as places to trade
manufactured goods. (capitalism)
Religious: -Converting native people to Christianity was used as a justification for imperialism.
Political: -Nationalism, the prestige of possessing colonies increased nationalist sentiment.
-Competition between the imperial powers. One power didn’t want another power to
dominate in a region.
Ideological - Racism. “The White Man’s Burden”. That whites had a moral obligation to bring
civilization to the “savages” in the global south.
Types of imperial rule
Find definitions for: Direct rule, indirect rule, a protectorate, sphere of influence.
Direct rule - Colony is controlled by a foreign central authority. The colony loses all
sovereignty. E.g. France sends its own people to rule in Algeria.
Indirect rule - The imperial power exploits existing power structures in the colony to rule.
(using local leaders).
This is how Britain ruled India, mostly.
Protectorate – Colonial power controls the wealth and foreign policy of the colony. Local
authorities control domestic policy.
Example – Britain in Egypt, France and Spain in
Morocco
Spheres of influence - Independent countries forced to give up trade advantages to an imperial
power. E.g., Britain’s relationship with China, particularly following the Opium Wars.
Great Colonial Empires of the 19th/20th centuries
“The empire on which the sun never sets.”
The British Empire - largest empire in history
- Led by Queen Victoria in the 19th century.
- She called India the “jewel in the crown of the British Empire” because of its value.
- India’s value influenced British strategic thinking.
- Conquered the surrounding territories in Asia to
secure India.
- Took control of the Suez Canal to secure
the route to India.
- In Africa, Britain conquered Eastern Africa
along the Nile and most of Southern Africa.
- Also possessed Canada and most of Oceania
French Empire - Second largest in the 19th century
- Conquered Algeria and Tunisia in the 1830s.
- Conquered territories in central and western Africa.
- Created a protectorate in Morocco in 1912.
- Controlled Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia) from 1887 onwards Italy and
Germany joined late.
- A result of their relatively late unifications
- Industrial revolutions in each place took place only after unification
- Italy acquired Libya, Somalia, Eritrea in the 1880s
- German East Africa (Tanzania), German SouthWest Africa (Namibia), Cameroon.
Belgium acquired The Congo in 1908
King Leopold II’s personal colony
USA - defeated Spain in the Spanish-American war
1898. They acquired Guam, Puerto Rico and the
Philippines, and later, Cuba.
Effects and Legacy of Imperialism
1.Economic Exploitation:
Colonial powers extracted resources from their colonies, often at the expense of
indigenous populations. Minerals, agricultural products, and labour etc.
2. Cultural Disruption:
Colonialism disrupted/destroyed indigenous customs, languages, and traditions.
European cultural norms and values were often imposed on colonized peoples. Cultural
assimilation, Westernisation.
3. Territorial Redrawing:
Arbitrary colonial borders. Disregarding ethnic, tribal, and historical divisions of local
populations. Leads to ongoing conflicts and political instability.
4.Social Stratification:
Colonialism introduced or exacerbated social hierarchies based on race and class.
Locals often subjected to discrimination and exclusion from positions of power.
5. Resource Dependence:
Some post-colonial nations continue to struggle with economic dependence on former
colonial powers/multinational corporations, which can hinder their development and
sovereignty. (Neocolonialism)
