The European Fever Of Colonial Aspiration

According to the content section of this chapter Imperialism, means, “the subjugation, domination, and exploitation of almost the entire globe to the economic and political needs of one region (Europe), a development unprecedented in human history." To a neutral viewer this may appear like a beneficial idea. During the 1800s and early 1900s, Imperialism was seen as a benefit to some and others did not see it as this. Many European nations such as Great Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, as well as some other nations were gaining land. Many people had opposing views regarding imperialism. Those who were in favor of imperialism often argued that it was beneficial based on nationalism, economic gains, the fervor missions of the Christians,

1. What is ‘imperialism’? How did 19th-century colonialism, empire building, high imperialism differ from those of earlier times: in particular from the colonialism of early- modern mercantilism (16th to18th centuries)?

Imperialism is a recurring theme in the history of the world. Stronger countries see themselves as superior to other societies and believe their ways are right. They force religion, government, and practices on countless foreign lands. At the very end of the nineteenth

Gaining complete dominance within a society can be viewed as a lion taking control over its land. These lions can be regarded as a powerful empire, as they live among other preys fighting for supremacy. In History it has been said that “A nation that did not expand would not survive” (American Passages, 529). Imperialism is a prime example of a group of prey fighting for sovereignty, within this land we come across the lions, otherwise known as the nations who control the prey and victimize them to gain complete dominance. Nations such as Japan, United Kingdome, United States, Germany and France were all living amongst themselves in this word fighting for the ultimate position in the game of imperialism. These leading nations took it upon themselves to find undeveloped nations and control certain aspects; they managed to do this because of their strong military base, as well as a stable economy. Although imperialism has been viewed in a negative way, many have seen positives aspects emerging from colonization. These include building roadways, canals and even railways for the underdeveloped nations; other examples include giving them an education system, and stabilizing their economy. That being said, the negative elements outgain the positive, these mother nations took advantage of their daughter nations, causing them to work for cheap labor and neglecting their natural born rights. These prevailing nations took it upon themselves to create a world

Between the period from 1880 to 1914, European powers went after overseas empires in Africa. The governments and political leaders of the European powers believed that this colonization of the African empires was necessary to maintain their global influence. A second group of people supposed that African colonization was the result of the greedy Capitalists who \only cared for new resources and markets. The third group of people claimed it to be their job to enlighten and educate the uncivilized people of Africa. Although the political leaders of European powers encouraged colonization of African empires to advance their nation’s global influence, others argued that it was only for the profiteering of the Capitalists who sought new

Since the beginning of modern civilization, man has had a burning desire for land. European nations in particular are well known for being those of imperialists, the act of extending a nation’s power or economy through the process of acquiring land. The strive for power in Africa can be seen dating back to the late 18th century, and continued throughout the early 20th. Europeans practiced imperialism in Africa for several centuries for reasons including economic opportunities, national pride, and the interpreted moral responsibilities.

Imperialism has been one of the most powerful forces in human history, serving to set the foundation of our modern world. While this has led to the formation of a global society where cultures, ideas, and innovations are spread across countries, imperialism has also left a history of exploitation, racism, and violence that is still affecting the world today. Imperial relationships are always imbalanced when it comes to power and influence; that is, one group (known as the metropole) maintains authority and control over another group (known as the periphery) with economic, political, and cultural dominance (Spiegel 2012). There are many reasons why one group chooses to dominate the other, such as expanding territory, extracting raw resources to fuel economic development, or to spread their beliefs (i.e. religion) (Spiegel 2012). In spite of these varied reasons, one of the main motivators for imperialism began with competition between empires.

During the late 19th century, many European countries were seeking to gain power, both in Europe and the rest of the world. In doing so, the Europeans colonized many different areas, including India, North America, and quite notably, Africa. This colonization was part of a process known as imperialism, where the various European nations would each colonize territories around the world, and subsequently used the natural resources, and often times people, in these colonies to fund their empire. This would work towards an eventual goal of possible world domination through an aggregation of power. The Europeans also did not want to cede power to their rivals in Europe, as this could lead to their own country getting conquered and thus losing control of Europe and their bid for heightened power and world domination. As a result, they each conquered territory to both earn money and power for themselves, and keep these from ending up in the hands of their rival nations. European imperialism in Africa was thus driven by economic and political forces, due to the fact that European countries wanted to spread their influence, improve their economies by keeping control of their colonies, and prevent other nations from gaining power in a similar manner.

Classical Colonialism occurs when metropolitan nations fuse new territories or peoples through means which are virtually involuntary such as war, conquest, capture, and additional forms of enforcement and control. (Biauner 1987,150) Classical colonialism is distinguished by economic exploitation, forced entry, and cultural imperialism through the establishment of new institutions and methods of thought. (

When a central power comes in and dominates the surrounding land and people it is referred to as colonization. In some cases it can lead to a positive outcome but more so than not it has a negative repercussion. In “Heart of Darkness,” “The Powwow at the End of the World,” and “Heritage,” both the colonizer and the colonized experience negative consequences that force them to change their views on the world.

Despite being arguably the most powerful nations in the world, European nations such as Great Britain, France, and Germany in the late 1800s could not ignore the colonial ambitions presented to them. All around the globe, once independent and peaceful countries became battlefields of war and conquering due to European invasion. The reasons for these aggressions varied immensely, with some seizing new territory with intentions to accomplish any given set of goals. Countries in frequent cases found use in a region’s natural resources that could be used to manufacture goods or create new markets. On the other hand, some leader’s motives to expand were simply fueled by nationalism, with their nation adding new areas to build upon their empire and gain more power. Some even developed the size of their land to openly promote their culture, ideas, and technology. Although all of these purposes may seem like they could be beneficial to both parties involved, the concept of Imperialism proved to be quite harmful to the colony nation. European imperialism throughout Africa and Asia was more negative because of economic, political, and social factors.

During the 1880’s, an idea known as “new imperialism” caused most of Europe to enter a period of colonial expansion that placed parts of both Africa and Asia under European control. Before 1880, Europe had little influence in Africa. They had relations with the governments and nations that were present, trading slaves and goods between continents. However, in a period known as the “Scramble for Africa”, Africa was divvied up among the giants: Great Britain took South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya; France, North and West Africa; and Germany, East and Southwest Africa. Three main factors motivated this new imperialism. The first was a combination of racism and Social Darwinism -- the latter being the belief that, in the struggle between nations, only the strong will prevail. The second stemmed from religion, and was known as “The White Man’s Burden”-- the idea that Europeans were obligated to bring technology and order to lands that until then had not tasted the amenities of their so-called “civilization”. The third was economics, for the untapped stores of Africa would bring the nation who could take advantage of them great wealth. Were one to say, “Late 19th century European imperialism was primarily an economic undertaking”, then they would be partially correct; all these factors influenced the actions of the European nations uniquely. Late 19th century European imperialism was primarily an economic undertaking to a near-full extent because, although supporters of White Man’s

Imperialism has been a long standing ideology that is able to withstand the tests of time due to the applicability of the concept. The general definition of Imperialism, as provided by Merriam-Webster, is the practice in which a country furthers its power by the means of control and domination in other regions of the world. This took on a new form as the nineteenth-century approached, as Traditions & Encounters a Global Perspective on the Past elaborated, it mainly pertained to European powers at this time and their control over colonial land and the world of influence. 19th century imperialists had three main foci, these being economic, political, and cultural motifs, these foci dominated the reasons for imperialism in the nineteenth-century and determined how nations would interact with the world and others; these foci would often find conflicts with each other and overlap causing disruption in the goals of the nations involved.

During the period of 1850 until about 1910 there was an age of Imperialism. Imperialism is the policy of extending a nation’s political and economic dominance or control over another territory or country. Imperialism was important to the political power of many nations for the Eastern and Western. It added wealth, status and increased their military strength. With the strength of their military they are able to maintain their authority all over the world by using their colonies as supply bases and fortifications. Many people in the Western countries believed that their civilization was superior to that of the non-Western peoples. Westerners wanted to bring benefits of their culture to others. They also wanted to teach non-Christians about Christianity. For many Europeans and North Americans, such goals helped to defend imperialism. I am studying imperialism of Great Britain how they took control over China and the United States; how they took control over the Caribbean Islands and Philippines. Prior to their controls, I am studying how their motivations are the similar and differ from one another from their commerce and their government policy.

New imperialism was a period of colonial expansion by European powers during the late 19th century and early 20th century. It is distinguished by the continuous territorial acquisitions of Africa and Asia by European powers. These powers include Great Britain, France, Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium (Tusan, Scramble for Africa, October 23rd). There were many reasons behind this aggressive competition. To them, these newfound lands were an opportunity to expand their power and exploit further resources. To put it bluntly, economic, political, cultural, and ideological motivations all helped start the era of New Imperialism and its new form of empire.