The idea of expansion and migrating to other territories in search of quest and conquer has been prevalent in history time period after time period. There were the powerful militaries who came to a territory and conquered and prospered in wealth because of their strength and power. While there were other groups have failed to do such task. As time went on historians defined the task of extended a country 's power through force of diplomacy or military power as imperialism. Imperialism has been the most dominant powerful force in the last four to five centuries in civilization. Imperialism has formed civilizations in entire continents while pushing out the indigenous people and destroying other civilizations in the meantime. In this case, we look at whether the factors of economics was or was not the primary reason for British Imperialism.
Robert Huttenback believed that British Imperialism was a result from economic factor primarily. They thought “much, no doubt, remains to be said concerning the relationship between the empire and economics. but perhaps, when all is said and done, Cecil Rhodes came closest to summing the whole thing up when he said, not totally in jest, that imperialism was nothing more than philanthropy plus 5 percent!... A strange kind of philanthropy socialism for the rich, capitalism for the poor. (Huttenback 92)
Although Britain was receiving techonology from dependant empires, Such as India, they were not directly benefiting financially from these
According to Dr. Lalvani, “Both Nations benefited from the trade links” (Paragraph #10). While this is true, Document 6 states that there was barely any woven cotton exported to Britain. The evidence shows that there was not a fair trading system between the countries, the British gaining an unfair amount the tradable resources, leading to more money. In addition to Dr. Lalvani, “British worked to preserve the environment and animals in India” (Paragraph #17). On the other hand, Document 7 illustrates that “Cash crops like indigo, cotton, and tobacco as they were very profitable crops for them but it totally degraded the farmland and made it unfit for growing other crops”( Doc # 7). With this evidence, it proves that the British used India’s land to gain revenue, while destroying the farmland in the process, making the Indian’s barely able to grow crops for themselves, leaving them starving and to
British imperialism, changing our lives from the start to the end, impacting the whole world, by 1920, the British Empire ruled over one quarter of the world. This one quarter also included the population of India. Basically starting because of the British East India company needing things such as indigo for cloth and cotton, the British government decided to take over and control politically, economically, and socially over India. The British Introduced the Indians to a new way of control and government and industrialised India. But the British made a government more for control rather than to improve the Indians lives and serve them.
Perhaps England’s largest investment in the India was their vast railroad system, employing over 1.6 million workers; the most in the world. (Dr Lalvani) This is true but britain’s policies such as: the prohibiting of farmers to grow any crop that isn’t a cash crop or the policy to tax Indian weavers so heavily that it drove them out of business. (Document 3) This forced millions of people out of weaving jobs and farmers into bankruptcy because no one wanted their cash crops. This caused 58 million deaths because these workers couldn’t afford food (Document 6). 58 million deaths heavily out ways 1.6 million jobs. Another claim Dr Lalvani makes is is that both nations benefited from trade. However, the amount of hand woven goods being exported to england dropped to 2,200 in 1790 to zero in 1890. (Document 4) This number began falling during the industrial revolution after British imperialism, meaning the number of British goods being exported skyrocketed, replacing the Indian made goods. This out millions of people out of jobs, causing the economy to suffer while English men became
Literacy barely increased in India during British rule, from %5 at the beginning of colonialism to just %16 when India got its independence (Doc #5). But while in India, the British banned suttee (the traditional Indian act that required widows to commit suicide at their husband’s funeral) and established museums to preserve Indian culture (Lalvani). They also established universities in India and sent rich Indian men to England to study (Lalvani). Though not increase the number of educated people, the British made people who were educated received a better education. Medical technologies did improve in India thanks to the British, even if many people did die from famine (Gandhi). Britain provided advancements in sewage management that drastically improved public health (Lalvani). If someone did get sick, they also built hospitals and provided improved medicine (Lalvani). Though many people did die, those who didn’t lived longer, healthier lives. Literacy barely improved and many people did die, but the social actions that Britain had greatly improved India and their improvements lasted long after they left their
Imagine a country coming into yours and ruining your environment. Killing your people. Taking your land- your power. Pushing you and the ones you love into starvation and poverty. In reality, this is what imperialism was for India when the British had gained control over them.
Like in document 3 Raymond Aron says "One of the colonial undertakings was motivated by the quest for capitalist profits", which explains another cause for imperialism. Also in document 4 Cecil Rhodes says "..the more of the world we inhabit, the better it is for the human race", he's explaining the idea of spreading power. This idea is still applied to
During the 1700’s through the 1900’s empires like France and Britain began to take over land in various continents and turned them into colonies. Although Britain and France saw this as a positive thing, the colonies proved to be difficult to control. Today it is hard to tell if the acquisition of these colonies was more beneficial or detrimental to their respective motherlands. Britain was the first European nation to imperialize. This is because England is an island and was running out of natural resources, and with growing population, there was no way to tell when England would run out of resources. Britain also had the world’s strongest navy. This brought up the idea to imperialize. Some other reasons for imperialism was the desire for
Imperialism is like a kingpin putting his hardest working, most experienced partners in a territory that they have sole control over, with the main job of making the money to bring back to the kingpin, getting their “cut” thereafter. It was the same for the British. Imperialism was vastly growing in the new British Empire. New Imperialism gave rise in East Asia and Africa with the new trade networks and new products and goods that were made to be profitable. According to Abina and the Important Men, palm oil became a new “golden” standard for the British. It was a necessity to how machines in factories worked post-Industrialization era. As for East Asia, opium became extremely profitable, although it put many of the population(s) at extreme
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)?
1. The political motivations for English imperialism were made on country that is craving to succeed in power, to increase their land, to have an armed force, to achieve respect by captivating colonies, and increase pride and security countrywide. The Pilgrims left England to North America because they were seeking freedom from religious oppression from King James I. Even though most of them died during the cross over, the few that made it settle very quickly with the help of the Native Americans. These groups of people were very religious and wanted to keep their faith alive. Their leaders in England did not tolerate it so they decide to leave England to a place where can freely express their religion. (U.S History, 2008-2016)
Within the NO portion the author states several things to support that imperialistic rule by Britain was not primarily economic. Industrial Europe required a highly specialized world, in which some areas would produce food for its industrial proletariat, others would produce raw materials for the industrial process, and the entire world would constitute a market for industrial goods. But to achieve this Europe needed to recast the world in its own image, to create the same infrastructures and similar institutions that would permit resources to be exploited and trade conducted (MacKenzie 99). This shows that imperialistic rule by Britain and other European nations was not solely economic but more so a way to gain materials, trade materials, and expand their cultures and receive outside cultural influence through imperialistic rule rather than using imperialistic
Industrialization added to Britain’s desire for raw materials and new markets and the British were motivated by this desire and looked for colonies to obtain. Adopting the policy of imperialism was economically beneficial for Britain, since it helped supply Britain with raw materials for industrial development, along with cheap food for Britain’s developing population. Britain chose to become imperialistic, because it would bring them prudent and economic benefits.
The ideological reasons for the Age of Imperialism pertained to all of the European countries. However, Britain was the most influential, because they were strongest. They believed that they were the superiority of the world
Empires with their self prophesied title, innately express the notion of expansion! Builders of empires through the ages have consistently shown the somewhat insatiable need to expand! It is this notion of expansion or more specifically the “necessity” for it (Leroy-Beaulieu, 1891), that seems a continual challenge for “empire builders” to control and therefore sustain. As an empire expands the ability to sustain, regulate and control its realm, provides continual challenges for local economies. With an obsession for treasures and profits over social health and sustainability (McClintock, 1995), “How, despite their “good intentions” did the British
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.