Imperialism: Causes, Consequences, and Rise of New Powers
Imperialism
Imperialism was driven by the Second Industrial Revolution. Its causes were:
- Economic: The need to find new markets, the demand for raw materials, and capital investment, using cheap labor.
- Demographic: New nesting sites for the European population and the call for white expansion generated significant migration and the possibility of having colonial territories where the population could settle and contribute to the development of imperialism.
- Ideological: Belief in the superiority of white people, the “civilizing mission” of Europe with Social Darwinism, and the expansion of Christianity.
- Political: Military power throughout the world, and international power and prestige through colonial hegemony.
Division of the World
Africa
The British and French projects crossed, and both still won over the Germans in Central Africa. All of this became a zone of conflict between the European powers. A conference was held in Berlin to regulate the occupation of the territories. As a result, a report was produced that stipulated conditions for colonial expansionism in Africa in the coming years. The major European states in Africa came with the first colonies. Problems arose and graduated from the Boer War between the British and Dutch due to the desire of Cecil Rhodes. The territories were inhabited by the Dutch, but rumors of large-scale gold drove the British, and those territories were annexed by the British. The other fight was the Fashoda Incident between France and Britain. War failed to explode since the French withdrew.
Asia
Asia started off with the British presence in India. The British took control and established a viceroy. Several reforms were made. Territories were annexed with the French to have more security, but France soon colonized Indochina after several wars, such as the Opium War and the Russo-Japanese War.
Colonial Administration and Exploitation
Colonies could be properly administered, meaning the government itself belonged to a direct metropolitan administration that exercised a genuine policy of administration. Alternatively, they could be protectorates in which, in theory, an Indian government subsisted and was respected by the metropolitan administration. There were also mandates. The colonies of settlement were the fields, and territories were sparsely populated with Native Americans in the minority. White people had a government and a parliamentary system itself, but still had to compete with the metropole.
Imperialism had some consequences, such as the enrichment of cities in the privileged sectors of the economy, a strong burden on the state budget, and, in the colonized territories, major economic exploitation, acculturation, health improvements, infrastructure, etc.
New Empires
The United States became a major economic power and started colonialism, spreading throughout Latin America and the Pacific. Another major power was Japan, which ended over 200 years of feudalism. They modernized economically and socially and made a process of Westernization. Japan began to expand into Asia.