Imperialism: Expansion, Domination, and Global Division
The Rise of Capitalism and Global Commerce
With advancements in technology and communication, distances became shorter, and people began communicating and expressing themselves in entirely new ways. Commerce also experienced expansion, helped by improvements in transport and communication. Production increased, and international commerce was able to meet the high demand for all sorts of products.
New Times for Capitalism
The need for large sums of money to finance new factories and enterprises stimulated the capitalist system. Companies merged, forming corporate groups or conglomerates to minimize competition and increase profit. The concentration of capital in large financial holdings created important banks.
Imperialism: Expansion and Domination
The New Colonial Expansion
Around 1870, a new form of colonial expansion took place, which was called imperialism. Colonialism sought to control the economic resources of the colonized territories. Imperialism, on the other hand, aimed to impose ideological domination on the colonized territories as well as exploiting them economically. This expansion was led by Britain and France, but soon other countries followed.
The Causes of Imperialism
- Political and Strategic: Countries such as France, Germany, and Italy competed with one another to extend their territories and maintain their power on the geopolitical map of the world. The UK also wanted to control commercial routes.
- Demographic: The colonies absorbed Europe’s population surplus; migration reduced unemployment and prevented social conflict in the countries of origin.
- Economic: The Second Industrial Revolution created a demand for raw materials and new markets. The development of capitalism also stimulated investment in new territories.
- Ideological: Darwin’s theory of evolution was adapted to proclaim the superiority of the white race. Western civilization undertook the mission of civilizing the rest of the world.
Forms of Domination
- Concessions: Territories controlled by a foreign power. The weaker country maintained sovereignty but gave all commercial rights to the dominating power. This was the case with China, which conceded strategic ports to the UK and USA.
- Protectorate: Allowed the dominated country to keep a native government, but the colonizing power controlled the army, foreign affairs, and the exploitation of certain resources. This was the case of the British protectorate in Egypt.
- Colonies: Subject to the government of the metropolitan state.
- Location Colonies: Established to control strategic communities.
- Settler Colonies: Involved large-scale emigration; this was the case with the British population established in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
- Exploitation Colonies: Used their native population for labor, but the metropolitan state controlled, owned, and administered all the resources; this was the case of the Belgian colony in the Congo.
Imperialism: The Division of the World
The Expansion in Africa
In 1870, Africa was an almost unknown continent for Europeans, apart from a few trading posts.