Imperialism and World War I: Causes and Consequences
Imperialism: Domination Through Force
Imperialism: A political theory that advocates the extension of political or economic domination of a country through force.
Economic Reasons for Establishing Colonies
- Exploit material resources and obtain cheap labor.
- Create new markets exclusive to the metropolis, prohibiting trade with other nations.
- Attract European capital investment to build necessary infrastructure.
- Welcome the growing European population, alleviating pressure from population explosion.
Causes of Imperialism
Economic, demographic, prestige, strategic policies, cultural, and scientific factors.
Modes of Colonization
- Colonial Exploitation: The colony was used by the metropolis to obtain raw materials and markets. The entire policy of the colony was determined by the metropolis.
- Colony Settlement: A sparsely populated area that contains the immigrant population of the metropolis.
- Protectorate: Powers pledged to defend a territory without interfering in its internal politics.
- Concessions: The supposed concession of establishments and commercial advantages in certain areas of a country to other states without compromising the sovereignty of that state.
Consequences of Colonization
European colonies led to positive developments such as roads, railways, hospitals, and schools that supported population growth. However, they also facilitated the exploitation of the territory and the natives. The worst consequence was the growing competition between European countries, which led to the Great War of 1914.
The Great War (World War I)
The Great War began in 1914 and lasted 4 years of hard fighting. For various reasons, this was a war unlike the others:
- The nations involved committed their entire populations, not merely their armies, to the war effort.
- Colonial conquests of the previous years led to fighting involving many nations.
- It was the first large-scale industrial war, providing new and more deadly weapons.
Causes of World War I
In the years before the war, each country sought to defend their interests by forming alliances, creating blocks that supported and reinforced each other:
- Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy signed the Triple Alliance.
- To oppose it, Britain, France, and Russia signed the Triple Entente.
The causes are grouped into territorial, economic, and psychological factors.
Territorial Causes
France and Germany clashed over Alsace-Lorraine, a territory obtained by the Germans in the 1870 war and claimed by the French.
Economic Causes
Germany and Britain were the two major industrial powers, but by 1870, German industry was becoming more competitive than the British.
Psychological Causes
Germany increased its army from 600,000 to 800,000 men. Austria increased its army from 100,000 to 160,000 before the first Balkan war. In France, a law fixed military service at 3 years, and the number of soldiers rose to 750,000. Russia had 1,800,000 soldiers available in 1914.
Free Trade
An economic theory that provides full freedom in economic and commercial activities, eliminating trade barriers to promote the free circulation of goods.