Imperialism

Economic Motives :

The industrial revolution

• need for resources and raw materials
• Need for markets and trade posts

Political Motives :

Economic interests caused military action to protect them

• British establishes protectorate in Egypt to protect trade route to India
• Dutch- Capetown

Nationalism :

Refers to the extreme loyalty one feels for one’s nation

• Imperialism fostered competition and rivalries

Humanitarian and Religious motives:

“White Man’s Burden syndrome:

• Idea that Europeans had a duty to spread civilization and western culture.

Missionaries zealous although prejudice about those that they were trying to convert

Social Darwinism

Many justified imperialism by applying Darwin’s ideas about natural selection & survival of the fittest

• Idea that Europeans were a superior race and imperial conquest and even destruction of weaker races was NATURE’S way of improving the human species

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Imperialism found support in all classes because all of them benefit from it

• Soldiers, settlers, merchants, missionaries and explorers all involved

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Critics

• Argued imperialism was a tool of the rich
• It was expensive and was immoral
• Hypocritical for western democracies
• They were acting in a way that was anti- democracy to the people that they colonized

Belgium

• Began when King Leopold II of Belgium hired Stanley to explore the Congo Basin and organize trade treaties
• Leopold publicly justified it by claiming that Stanley would be “carry the light” to the people “plunged in barbarism”
• ^^^^ example of “White Man’s Burden”
• Lots of brutality in Congo under Belgian rule

Partition of Africa

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Berlin Conference of 1884

International conference held to establish rules for colonizing Africa and avoid bloodshed between Europeans

They agreed that no country could claim any part of Africa unless it sets up a government there

• Prompted governments to send officials to exert their power over local rulers

Even though the conference was about the African continent no Africans were invited.

Europeans drew borders with little to no understanding of the people they were diving and subjugating

After 20 years of carving Africa only Ethiopia and Liberia remained independent

Africa was known as the “dark continent” because they had little knowledge on it

• Difficult to penetrate due to malaria and sleeping sicknesses from flies

Medical breakthroughs and steamships allowed Europeans to explore and Europeans were able to exploit rivalries among African tribes

4 Types of Imperial Control

• Colony - complete control

• France

• Protectorate - Territory has it’s own government however it’s under the control of an outside power

• Britain

• Sphere of Influence - outside power claims exclusive trading rights and investment privileges.

• Economic Imperialism Private business interests control a less developed country

  Protectorates

  Left local rulers in place even though they were expected to follow the European power

• Advantage of this type is it costs less and does not require a huge military or naval commitment

  Spheres of Influence

  Area which one power claimed exclusive investment and trading privileges

• Happened particularly in China among European powers

Forms of control came in both direct and indirect ways

• Direct Control : Colony
• Foreign officials brought in to rule
• No self-rule
• Government institutions are based on the European models
• Paternalism
• Indirect control : Protectorate, Sphere of Influence, Economic Imperialism
• Local officials govern
• Limited self-rule
• Government institutions are based on European model but may have local rulers
• Goal: Develop future leaders

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