AB Chapter 24 Global Links and Imperialism

Global Links and Imperialism (1750-1900)

The Poem "The White Man's Burden"

• Speaker's View: Rudyard Kipling presents a view of Westerners as superior to nonwhite peoples, suggesting they carry the burden of colonization.

• Justification for Imperialism: Kipling's ideas were used to rationalize the imperial expansion of Western nations in Africa and Asia.

The Era of Imperialism

• Expansion: During the 19th and early 20th centuries, Western European countries expanded their empires into Africa and Asia.

• Global Powers:

  • United States: Expanded in Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.

  • Russia: Continued territorial expansion in Asia, engaging in the Great Game for Central Asian dominance.

  • Japan: Focused on expansion in East Asia.

• Main Drivers: While ideological motives existed, economic and political ambitions drove conquest.

Economic Motives for Imperialism

• Industrialization Needs: Rapid industrialization in Britain created a demand for raw materials and new markets.

• Colonial Economies: Colonies were transformed into export economies that prioritized cash crops meant for metropolitan consumption.

  • Examples of Cash Crops: Tea, cotton, sugar, palm oil, rubber, coffee.

• Negative Effects:

  • Monocultures resulted in reduced agricultural diversity and declining soil quality in colonized regions.

  • India's Shift: Transitioned from a leading cotton textile producer to solely providing raw materials for British factories.

• Opium Trade: Opium became a lucrative trade product for Britain, leading to conflict with China and the Opium Wars.

Role of Railways in Colonies

• Purpose: Railways facilitated the extraction of resources for European benefit rather than local development.

• Cecil Rhodes' Ambition: Planned a railway from Cape Town to Cairo to unify British colonies but lacked complete control over necessary land areas.

• Labor Conditions: Native workers were underpaid compared to European labor, highlighting exploitation.

The Japanese Empire

• Expansionism: Japan sought colonies to acquire resources for industrial growth, leading to control over parts of China and Korea.

Labor Systems in Imperialism

• Indentured Labor: After the abolition of slavery, Europe recruited laborers (primarily from India, China, Japan) for colonial plantations in various regions.

• Australian Penal Colonies: Convicts were sent to Australia, where they worked and many chose to remain post-service.

• Indigenous Impact: European settlement led to disease, land confiscation, and significant population decreases among indigenous communities in Australia and New Zealand.

Political Motives for Imperialism

• Nationalism: The building of empires was used to assert national strength and identity among European nations during the 1800s.

• Scramble for Africa: Intense competition for African colonies among European powers led to the Berlin Conference, where rules for colonial claims were established without African representation.

Ideological Justifications for Imperialism

• Racism and Pseudoscience: Racist ideologies were propagated, often using pseudo-scientific claims to assert European superiority.

• Missionary Activity: Aimed to convert and educate indigenous populations often under the guise of humanitarian efforts.

Imperialism in South Asia

• British East India Company: Gained control over India after defeating the French in the Seven Years' War.

  • Dominated local economies and society, leading to widespread resentment and the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857.

• Responses to the Rebellion: The British government tightened control, instituting the British Raj that lasted until 1947.

Imperialism in Africa

• Continued Relations: Despite ending the slave trade, European nations retained economic interests in Africa, leading to exploitation of resources and labor.

• King Leopold II and the Congo: His administration was marked by immense brutality and exploitation of labor for ivory and rubber.

Suez Canal and the Scramble for Africa

• British Interests: Control over Egypt and the Suez Canal was strategic for maintaining trade routes.

• Lasting Borders and Conflicts: Imposed borders often disregarded ethnic and cultural divisions, leading to future conflicts.

Conflicts and Resistance in South Africa

• Xhosa Wars and Boer Wars: Numerous conflicts arose between European settlers and indigenous peoples due to land disputes and colonization.

• Effects on Indigenous Populations: Both Afrikaner and black African communities faced displacement and severe hardship.

Imperialism in China and Southeast Asia

• Spheres of Influence: Following the Opium Wars, Western nations carved out spheres of influence within China.

• Dutch and French Control: Colonization efforts focused on cash crops and plantation economies in Southeast Asia, often to the detriment of local agriculture.

American Imperialism in the Late 19th Century

• Monroe Doctrine: Asserted U.S. interests in the Western Hemisphere while also laying groundwork for interventionist policies.

• Spanish-American War: Resulted in significant territorial acquisitions for the U.S., further establishing it as an imperial power.

Responses to Imperialism

• Emergence of Nationalism: Intellectuals in colonized countries began forming movements for self-rule, highlighted by the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885.

• Pan-Africanism: Developed among educated elites in Africa, advocating for unity and resistance against colonial rule.