Causation in the Imperial Age

  • Essential Question: Significance of imperialisms' effects from 1750 to 1900.

  • Industrial Capitalism Impact:

    • Increased manufacturing capacity led to higher availability and variety of capital and consumer goods.

    • This surge in production resulted in greater demand for natural resources and foreign markets due to saturated domestic markets.

    • Competition among Western nations for overseas markets fueled empire-building.

  • Significant Effects of 19th Century Imperialism:

    • Increased migration and rise of independence movements.

    • Heightened political and economic rivalry among Western European nations, contributing to early 20th-century conflicts.

  • Changes in Standards of Living:

    • Higher efficiency in production due to automation, division of labor, and assembly line methods.

    • Increased output reduced prices and increased supply of consumer goods, improving standards of living for many.

    • Real wages began low, but doubled between 1819 and 1852, indicating rising consumption.

    • However, wealth distribution inequality and industrial society issues (pollution, crowded cities) offset improvements.

  • Overseas Expansion:

    • Overproduction led to trade transition from mercantilist to capitalist systems.

    • Industrialized nations sought to control trade and resources, continuing colonial expansions seen in the previous era.

    • Colonized economies provided raw materials but often lacked economic development.

    • Western nations achieved dominance via technological advances from the Industrial Revolution.

  • Seeds of Revolution and Rebellion:

    • Late 1700s uprisings (U.S. independence, French revolution) and early 1800s South American independence movements emerged.

    • Resistance to westernization occurred, exemplified by the Sepoy Rebellion in India and Boxer Rebellion in China.

    • Early independence efforts laid groundwork for post-WWII nationalism.

  • Migration and Discrimination:

    • Notable emigration from less industrialized regions to dominant economies in search of opportunity.

    • Indentured laborers from various countries formed enclaves in host regions, facing discrimination based on race or religion.

    • Global capitalism led to wealth accumulation among the upper classes while working classes competed with immigrants for jobs.