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[World History] Imperialism and Colonialism: Meaning, Factors responsible

Prologue
What is imperialism?
What is colonialism?
What is Neocolonialism?
What is New Imperialism?
Conditions/factors that helped the rise of Imperialism
Industrial Revolution and Capitalism
Marxists: Capitalism = Imperialism
Protectionism
Mercantilism
Supply of raw material
Investment
Infrastructure investment
Why Political domination necessary?
Slave trade
Transport and communication
Rise of extreme nationalism
Mind diversion
Fear and security
Civilizing mission
Christian Missionaries
Adventurers and explorers
Favorable conditions in Asia and Africa
Mock Questions

Prologue
New Syllabus: General studies Mains Paper I contains following topics on World History

History of the world will include events from 18th century such as industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national
boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.- their forms and effect on
the society.

You already have Younger/New NCERTs, if not click on following:

1. India and the Contemporary World I (Class 9)

2. India and the Contemporary World II (Class 10)
3. Themes in World History (class 11)

But in terms of depth / coverage /analysis of World History, the older NCERTs were better. Although for someone living in a small
town / remote area, it’s impossible to find them. So, I’m uploading the summaries one by one for the benefit of such aspirants.

We start with Class 10 (Old NCERT), “Story of civilization volume II”, Chapter 9, “Imperialism and Colonialism.”

That chapter revolves around subtopics:

1. Meaning of Imperialism
2. Conditions that helped growth of Imperialism
3. Conquest of Asia, Africa, Americas and the Pacific.
4. Effects of Imperialism.

This first article deals with first two topics (Meaning and conditions). Future articles will cover the rest. Keep in mind,

1. This is mere base / foundation / starting point to supplement your readings from IGNOU BA, MA etc.
2. These are “summaries” (and not verbatim paragraphs). I’ve taken liberty to include external sources to elaborate the explanations.
What is imperialism?
The term imperialism means the practice of extending the power, control or rule by a country over the political and economic life
of the areas outside its own borders.
Imperialism refers to the process of capitalist development, which leads the capitalist countries to conquer and dominate pre-
capitalist countries of the world.
 The imperialist country or Metropolis (literal meaning mother country), subordinates another country/ colony for its own
economic and political interests.
This may be done through military or other means and particularly through colonialism.
What is colonialism?
Colonialism means the practice of acquiring colonies by conquest (or other means) and making them dependent.
The country which is subjugated by a metropolitan capitalist country is described as a colony, and what happens in a colony is
colonialism.
In other words, Colonialism =the total system of imperialist domination of a pre-capitalist country.
Occupation / direct rule over a country by another country=not always an essential feature of imperialism
The essential feature= exploitation, with or without direct political control.
Until recent years, most countries of Asia Africa and other parts of the world, where under the control of one or another
imperialist country.

Imperialism Colonialism

Colonialism usually implies formal political control,

Imperialism refers, more broadly, to control or influence that is exercised
involving territorial annexation and loss of
either formally or informally, directly or indirectly, politically or economically
sovereignty.
Imperialism is a specifically European phenomenon colonialism is the system prevalent in the colonies.
When we study imperialism we examine the impact of empire on the
Here we study impact of empire on the colony.
metropolis (home country)

What is Neocolonialism?
In the present day world, almost all countries are politically independent, however the imperialist control has not come to an end.
Neocolonialism is the practice of (mainly economic) exploitation and domination of independent but economically backward
countries, by the powerful countries.
What is New Imperialism?
During the initial period of Industrial Revolution, the pursuit of colonies had slowed down. Why?

because Between 1775 and 1875, Europeans lost more territory than they acquired in North America and Latin America, because
of successful revolution.
Spanish colonial rule from Mexico to Argentina was overturned.
There was a widespread feeling in Europe that colonies were more trouble than they were worth and the sooner or later colonies
would revolt and fight for independence.
Benjamin Disraeli said “These wretched colonies will all be independent in a few years and are millstones around our necks.”

However, the pursuits and rivalries re-emerged in the last quarter of the 19th century.

This new face of imperialism (1875-1914) is often described as the new imperialism.
New imperialism resulted because of the economic system that had developed as a result of Industrial Revolution.
During this phase a few industrialized capitalist countries established their Political and economic control and domination over the
rest of the world.
The form of domination and control included direct colonial rule, sphere of influence and various types of commercial and
economic agreements.

Players in New Imperialism:

New imperialist countries emerged viz. Germany, Italy, Belgium, USA and Japan. While,
Britain and France continued to be powerful and expand.
Power of Spain and Portugal declined.

ok so far we know the meaning of Imperialism. But why did it happen? What were the

Conditions/factors that helped the rise of Imperialism

Industrial Revolution and Capitalism

Industrial Revolution created the capitalist system of production. The capitalist entrepreneurs used two ways to make big profits:

Method to increase
Consequences?
profit? =>

1. minimum wages to low wages = low purchasing power of the majority of the domestic population= low demand of
workers products in home country.

2. More and more

the production of goods was far in excess of the demand at home
production
Result?=> Because of the “underconsumption” in domestic market, the capitalist nations had to find new markets and buyers to sell
their products.

Marxists: Capitalism = Imperialism

Lenin argued that Imperialism the Highest Stage of Capitalism, and it’d lead to the demise of Capitalism.

In Capitalist system, wealth is concentrated in fewer and fewer hands, the possibility for investment at home is exhausted, and
capitalists have no choice but to invest abroad, establish colonies, and exploit small, weak nations.

Problem with this explanation?

1. It fails to explain pre-capitalist imperialism of Greece and Rome.

2. It fails to explain the Communist imperialism of Soviet Union itself!
Protectionism
As started ^above, the capitalist countries, Western powers had to find new markets for selling their goods.
England was the first country where industries developed, therefore she gained almost complete control over the world markets.
Even when other European countries began to use machines, they could not compete with England’s low prices.
So, they tried to protect and stimulate its domestic industries by imposing heavy tariffs on imported items.
Result? = European powers could not sell their products to each other. They had to find totally new markets and customers in
Asia, Africa and the two Americas.
Mercantilism

It was the economic policy prevailing in Europe during the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. This policy assumed following:

Volume of world wealth and trade was relatively static, so one country’s gain required another country/colony’s loss.
Wealth of a nation depended primarily on the possession of gold and silver.
A colonial possession should provide wealth to the country that controlled it.
Exports to foreign countries is preferable to imports or domestic trade, because exports brought more money into the country.
Governmental interference in the national economy is justified if it helps achieving the of above objectives.

So nations acted accordingly. They setup “trading posts” which would later become “forts”, arm twisted local rulers to gain exclusive
market for their products and so on. All this was done and justified as the objectives of mercantilism were fulfilled.

Supply of raw material

As the industries grew in Europe, they needed more and more raw material. For example,

1. Cotton= India and Egypt

2. rubber= Congo and East Indies
They also needed =food grains, tea, coffee, Indigo, tobacco, sugar, coal, iron, tin, gold, copper and later oil.

Result?=>

Imperialists forced the colonies to cultivate only one or two crops which were needed as raw material for their own industries
(e.g. indigo in India, Sugar in Cuba.)
Smuggling: sometimes, goods produced in one country were sold to another country to pay for the goods from that country. e.g.
The English promoted cultivation of opium in India, then smuggled into China to pay for the goods they had bought from China.
Investment

Towards the end of 19th century, Western countries began to look upon Asia and Africa is good places to invest their capital. But
Why?

Both Asia and Africa had abundant supply of raw material and cheap labour= good profit.
As we saw under “Demand” topic, low wages + excessive production= underconsumption. Therefore, if capital was invested in
Europe, it would only fetch 3 to 4% profit, because of little purchasing power of local people.
But if the same amount was invested in Asia or Africa, you could earn as high as 20% profit.
Besides, Towards the end of 19th century, financial institutions such as banks expanded their influence and power, thus making
FDI(!) easier than earlier.

Result?=>The export of capital for investment in other countries began to become more important in the export of goods.

Infrastructure investment
The Western powers invested in their colonies to promote industries that could produce goods for export e.g. mining and
plantation.
They also invested to strengthen control over colony’s economy e.g. Railways, postal network.
Result?=> political domination became necessary.
Why Political domination necessary?
As the foreign powers invested more and more money in business and infrastructure in Asia, Africa and Americas, their risk increased:

what if the weak local prince, Nawab or tribes chief could not contain an uprising or rebellion?
What if there was a change in the government?

Such things could lead to reduction in profit or even loss of whole investment.

For the same reasons, French investors in Morocco (N.Africa), appealed to their home government in France, to annex it. Thus
Morocco became “French Morocco”.

Slave trade
The Spanish rule in Americas had resulted large-scale extermination of original inhabitants/Native-Americans. Because
they were forced to work in gold/silver mines and were massacred, if resisted.
Foreigners brought new diseases, and Native Americans had no immunity against them.
Later, the Europeans introduced plantation system in North America, West Indies and Brazil.
for the cultivation of sugarcane, cotton and tobacco (to supply as raw material to home industries).
These plantations needed lot of laborers.
Hence it became necessary to establish trading posts in the coastal areas of Africa to keep steady supply of African slaves.
later, Britain and other powers used “abolition of slavery” as an excuse to wage war against African chiefs and kings, but their
hidden aim was to expand territorial possession. (For timber, ivory, minerals and oil).
Transport and communication
The Industrial Revolution brought drastic changes in transport and communication.
Steamship could carry goods much faster than the old sailing vessels.
The imperialist countries built railroads and inland waterways in the conquered areas, with the help of cheap local labor.
Thus could get raw material out of the interiors and send their manufactured products, faster than ever before.
Thus every area of the world was brought within easy reach of the industrialized countries.
Rise of extreme nationalism
the later part of 19th century was a period of intense nationalism
Germany and Italy had just succeeded in becoming unified nations.
Nationalism in the late 19th century came to be associated with chauvinism.
Nationalist intellectuals in all European powers argued that national greatness meant seizing colonial territory.
Once the scramble for colonies began, failure to enter the race was perceived as a sign of weakness, totally unacceptable to an
aspiring great power.
many nations developed myth of their superiority over other people
Each country felt that she too must have colonies to increase her own prestige and power
imperialism became the fashion of the age.
Writers and speakers in England, France and Germany promoted the idea of imperialism and took great pride in calling their
territories as “empires”
Germany’s expansion under Hitler was also based on the belief that German national culture was inherently superior than others.
by the end of the 19th century colonialism like nationalism developed into a mass cult.
Colonies were symbols of national greatness and nationalists of every economic class were proud of them.
Soviet union’s policy to ‘liberate’ the peoples of Eastern Europe and the Third World, and USA’s “protecting Freedom” = also
examples of imperialism driven by moral and ideological concerns.
Mind diversion
Colonies helped to ensure social peace and prevented socialist revolution at home by taking the minds of the working class off
their misery.
He who would avoid civil war must be an imperialist. (Cecil Rhodes).
Fear and security
Initially, colonies were acquired to get cheap raw material and market to sell finished products.
But then Imperialist countries started acquiring places for their military or strategic importance also.
For example, England established naval bases and coaling stations at Port Said, Aden, Hong Kong, Singapore and Cyprus – not
to protect England but to protect its conquered lands and trade routes to India from her rival nations.
The rival nations installed similar bases elsewhere to protect their colonies and trade routes from England.
Thus, if you acquired one colony, you had to acquire other colonies to protect the first colony => leading to a chain reaction and
race for grabbing more and more colonies. (And ultimately first World war).
Civilizing mission

Many European writers and thinkers used to blatantly support and justify Imperilism and colonization.

Rudyard Wrote a poem titled “White man’s burden”. It gives a rhetorical command to white men to colonize and
England
Kipling rule people of other nations.
Jules Ferry France Superior races have the duty of civilizing the inferior races.
To many Europeans and Americans, the prospect of saving souls seemed as important as the prospect of expanding prestige and
profit.
They considered it was their Christian and moral responsibility to educated ignorant peoples into higher culture and convert them
 to Christianity.
Hence for them, imperialism = a noble task, a way of bringing civilization to do backward people of the world.
Christian Missionaries
Usually they went alone into an unknown areas in a spirit of duty and religion.
But often they were followed by profiteering traders and soldiers.
Then wars took place to protect the missionaries.
All these seemed quite natural to most Western people, because they considered it their nation’s destiny to civilize and
Christianize the people of Asia and Africa
US President McKinley himself justified the annexation of Philippines in following words:

“ We must help our little brown brothers….there was nothing left to do but to take them all, and to educate the Filipinos and uplift
and civilise them as our fellow men for whom Christ also died.”

Adventurers and explorers

They had prominent role in Europe’s taking over of Africa.
They first went into unknown or little-known territories and brought back the reports that often indicated opportunities for trade
and development.
On the basis of such reports, a trading post would be first setup.
Gradually, the explorer’s home government would take over the protection of the entire area around the trading Post.
Then this imperial home government would proceed to claim the entire territory as her own colony.
Favorable conditions in Asia and Africa

Biggest factor was lack of industrialization.

Asian and African state did not have the economic might of imperialist powers- to fight a long war.
They fought with axes, bows and outdated firearms (if any), while Europeans had new rifles and a “maxim-
Military gun” (a fast firing machine gun) + the naval artillery to pound the coastal cities of their enemies. while Indian
strength and Arab ships didn’t have guns.
The only exceptions, where Europeans could not succeed in war = Afghanistan and Ethiopia.

Politically, Asian and African states were not united.

Internal There were Conflicts between states and within states, the ruler vs. chiefs, warlords, merchants etc.
rivalries Hence they often sought the support of Europeans against their rivals.

In the ancient and mediaeval times, powerful empires had existed in Asia and Africa.
But during 19th century their governments became very weak. They still followed the old ways of governing,
No
even though they had outlived their usefulness.
Empires
The loyalty of people still rested in local princes or tribal chieftains. They didn’t have the strong feelings for
“nation-state”, like the Europeans.

The Westerners admired and desired the fine quality goods made by Asian and African craftsmen.
No But these craftsmen relied entirely on handmade tools= small scale production, could not compete with
Machines factory made products.

Mock Questions
12 marks

1. Explain imperialism and new-imperialism.

2. Explain colonialism and neo-colonialism.
3. Explain the role of capitalism and industrial revolution in the emergence of Imperialism.
4. How did nationalism help to make imperialism popular in Europe?
5. “The dominant directive motive behind imperialism was the demand for markets and for profitable investment.” Comment
6. “All great nations in the fullness of their strength have desired to set their mark upon barbarian land and those who fail to
participate in this rivalry will play a pitiable role in time to come.” Comment
7. Write a note on the role of writers, missionaries and explorer in the spread of colonization.

25 marks

1. Write a note on the economic angle of Imperialism.

2. List the conditions that helped growth of Imperialism and colonialism.
3. Why were Asian and African countries so easily dominated by Western Powers?
Previous Posts
[Old NCERT World History Ch8] Unification of Germany, Unification of Italy, Bismarck, Blood & Iron (Part 3 of 4)
[Old NCERT World History Ch8] French Revolution: Causes, Consequences, Rise & Fall of Napoleon (Part 2 of 4)
 [Old NCERT World History Ch8] American Revolution: Causes, Boston Tea Party,
Declaration of Independence (Part 1 of 4)
[Old NCERT World History Ch7] Industrial Revolution, Capitalism, Their Effect on
Society, Rise of Trade Unions & Socialism
[Old NCERT World History ch13] After WW2: African Independence: Egypt, French
Guniea, Mau Mau rebellion, Apartheid (Part 4 of 4)
[Old NCERT World History ch13] After WW2: Asian Independence, Korean war,
Vietnam War, Khmer Rouge (Part 3 of 4)
[Old NCERT World History ch13] After WW2: Cold War, NATO, CENTO, SEATO,
Warsaw and NAM (Part 2 of 4)
[Old NCERT World History ch13] After WW2: Birth of UN, Division of Germany-USSR-
Yugoslavia (Part 1 of 4)
[Old NCERT World History ch12] (Part 2 of 2): Second World War, events, battles, resistance movements
[Old NCERT World History ch12] (Part 1 of 2) Between Two world Wars, Nazism, Fascism, The Great Depression

104 comments to [World History] Imperialism and Colonialism: Meaning, Factors responsible Print || PDF Subscribe
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Amit
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Dear mrunal sir
I am having Pub Ad as my optional subject. As i have not joined any coaching institute , therefore i am finding some problem in
understanding the terms used in Public Administration.
can you please write a note on these basic terms used in Pub ad and explain the terms in your words
I am unable to understand the meaning of terms like Value Free science or value neutral science, Philosophy of Public administration.
Please help me sir

Rohit
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http://mrunal.org/category/public-administration

Ashok Gowda
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please go through this link of mrunal sir,it may be helpful. http://mrunal.org/2013/06/download-public-administration-mains-ignou-bama-
no-registration-fullsets-toppers-notes-neeraj-om-kshitij-last-34-years-paper-1979-2012.html

Roy
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thanxx a lot sir for taking up mains topics……lukin forward to more of such(including topics in world geography) in the future………..thankss
again……..

Pankhuri Sarkar
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Thank u so mch for posting this article.. m very garteful to u…

Pankhuri Sarkar
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Sir I hv Pub AD as my optional subject.. cn u pls guide for the same…

Rohit
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http://mrunal.org/category/public-administration

Ashok Gowda
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