Imperialism and the 1929 Crisis: Global Impacts
1. Theory on Imperialism
Imperialism, a concept dating back to Roman times, refers to the domination of one state over others. The period of European colonial domination in Africa and Asia during the 19th and 20th centuries exemplifies this, as do the interventionist policies of the U.S. and USSR, and the imperialist doctrines of European fascist ideologies. The basis of these relations of domination is monopoly capitalism, a product of the Second Industrial Revolution.
Colonialism is the instrument of imperialism, involving the possession and use of conquered lands for political control, economic exploitation, and social development. This occurred primarily between 1870 and 1950.
Causes of imperialism include economic needs for raw materials and exclusive markets, political reasons, technological advancements, and ideological factors such as the belief in the white race’s superiority and the civilizing mission.
Ideology of Imperialism
From 1848, conservative and aggressive nationalism and racism grew. Theories of white superiority were propagated by figures like Kipling, Carlyle, Dilke, Rhodes, and Salisbury in Britain, and Beaulieu and Gobineau in France. Political opposition to imperialism within the metropoles was minimal, mainly from Marxists.
3. Colonial Expansion: The Scramble for Africa
Conflict Between Imperialist Powers
During the 19th century, colonial expansion led to disputes between imperialist powers over territories in Africa, Asia, and Oceania. To avoid conflicts, representatives from 12 European states, the U.S., and Turkey met in Berlin in 1884 to divide Africa. This conference aimed to mitigate diplomatic differences and address issues like the Belgian Congo and tensions between France and Britain over Egypt. The Berlin Conference focused exclusively on Africa, accelerating the division process. Despite attempts at peaceful resolution, imperialist clashes deepened, leading to conflicts like the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) and the Fashoda Incident (1898-1899).
4. Consequences of Imperialism
Consequences for Dominated Areas
Demographic: Population increased due to decreased mortality from Western medicine, but this led to an imbalance between population and resources.
Economic: Infrastructure like ports, railways, and roads were built to extract raw materials for the metropolis.
Social: The bourgeoisie from the metropolis occupied high and middle levels of colonial society.
Political: The degree of dependence was determined by the administrative organization imposed.
Cultural: Imperialism caused loss of identity, imposition of colonizers’ standards, and the dominance of European languages, leading to acculturation. Christianity often displaced or merged with local beliefs, creating syncretic religions.
Geographical: Political maps were altered with artificial boundaries.
Ecological: New farming methods and species caused profound changes or destruction of ecosystems.
Consequences for the Metropolis
Economic: Imperialism stimulated industrialization and provided cheap raw materials and markets.
International: It led to tensions and conflicts, such as the Morocco Crisis, contributing to the First World War.
1. The 1929 Crash and its Consequences
The Crisis of the Depression of 1929
The Crack of the Stock Exchange in New York in October 1929 led to a deep recession in the thirties with serious repercussions. It caused a slump in production, labor market disturbances, and the rise of fascist ultra-nationalism.
Causes of the 1929 Crisis
Overproduction
Speculation
Credit Inflation
Unit Economies
Implications of the Crisis of 1929
Economic: The U.S. economy’s global influence led to the rapid internationalization of the crisis. This resulted in economic ruin from loan defaults, bank bankruptcies, deflation, decline in world trade, rising unemployment, and a crisis in the liberal economic model.
Social: The crisis caused rising unemployment worldwide, wage cuts, increased mortality, and halted vegetative growth. Social inequalities worsened, affecting workers and middle classes, creating a mass of dispossessed people.
Political: The failure of liberalism to address the crisis led to the rise of nationalist and totalitarian ideologies in countries like Germany and Italy, and filofascist trends in other nations.