Tools of Imperialism

By Trevor Getz

Imperialism was the idea that launched a thousand ships. The leaders of
industrial empires used the ideas of imperialism to support their actions
around the world.

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Tools of Imperialism
Trevor Getz

Imperialist Ideas
Imperialism is a belief. It states that a society has a right to rule over another group of people. The word imperialism
is also used to describe what happens because of imperialist beliefs. Some powers do not officially control another
group of people or make a colony. This is called informal imperialism. If a people are conquered and a colony is
established, it is called colonialism. Imperialism starts as an idea. However, it has important consequences.

How does all of this happen? How does the idea of imperialism turn into colonialism? There are many different
answers to these questions, but here is our take on it.

Ways of Thinking About the World

The first tool of imperialism is the way imperialist thinkers see the world. In the long nineteenth century, empire
promoted a variety of ideas. There was the incorrect belief that some races were better than others. Others
believed that “savage” people could be taught to act “civilized.” These ideas helped governments and organizations
justify imperialism.

The Navy Leagues of Britain (and Australia) lobbied and advocated for a larger navy and Empire. They even
recruited children into this effort. From the State Library of New South Wales collection, public domain.

The Tools of Imperialism

Many tools of imperialism were simply ideas. However, physical tools like advanced weapons, railroads, telegraphs,
and radios were used too. These tools helped imperialists control large territories in faraway countries. Imperialists
said these technologies made them better than their colonial subjects.

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Some industrial empires had high-tech weapons. Others had large militaries. They did not even need to invade
or directly control them. Countries like Britain, France, and the United States had this informal control. They used
it in places like Latin America and China. They would demand something, such as better trade deals. If the local
government refused, the imperial power would send in their military. Because imperial powers so often relied on
powerful navies, it also became known as “gunboat diplomacy”.

A 1904 cartoon about US President Theodore Roosevelt’s “Quarterdeck Diplomacy”. Roosevelt, who said he wanted to
“speak softly and carry a big stick” sent a fleet into the Caribbean to show off American naval power. Public domain.

Knowledge was another tool of imperialism. It was used in at least two ways. First, imperialists believed their
knowledge, traditions, and religion were superior to those of the people they wanted to conquer. They used this to
justify colonialism.

Second, imperialist powers used knowledge keep their empires growing. Imperial ships carried scientists. These
scientists acted sort of like spies. They gathered information about things like local government and resources. This
knowledge made it easier for imperialist powers to march in and rule them.

The Tools of Rule

Once a colony was conquered, a new set of tools came into use. These were the tools of government. Locals had
to follow colonial governments. If they had problems, they took them to colonial courts. However, the courts were
often unfamiliar and didn’t use the local languages. Since the colonizers made and enforced the laws, they had a lot
of power. Locals did not usually succeed at changing the laws.

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Colonial administrations usually issued their own money. This is an Indian five-rupee note from the colonial era, with the head of British
monarch, King George V. This was the official (and only official) currency of India under British rule. Public domain.

Money was another important tool of colonial rule. Suddenly, many colonial subjects were being forced to work for
wages and pay taxes. They needed money to pay the taxes. They could only get money by working.

Powerful companies were the ones who had most of the money. The chocolate companies Nestle and Cadbury are
one example. They set the price of chocolate in West Africa. They paid their workers as little as possible to make
more profits for themselves.

The companies did not pay much in taxes. However, colonial authorities made money by taxing locals. Locals had to
pay heavy taxes on any product that came from outside the empire. This encouraged colonial subjects to buy from
the imperial power.

Indirect Rule
Colonies were expensive. Salaries for imperial administrators and soldiers were quite high. Colonial
administrators needed a tool for keeping down those costs. Rebellion was also really costly. Administrators
needed to prevent conflict.

Many empires used indirect rule.1 Indirect rule meant hiring locals to work as minor officials in the imperial
government. Local labor was less expensive. Locals also understood the local society better. However, indirect rule
had a weak spot. Local officials became experts on the imperial system. If they turned against colonial rule, the
empire was in big trouble.

1 There were a few colonies that didn’t use indirect rule. They used a system of direct rule instead. The colonial government just told local inhabitants
what to do. They did not really use local officials. However, this was very rare. Direct rule was expensive and required a lot of colonial officials, and
local populations disliked direct rule even more than indirect rule. So we won’t spend a lot of time on it.
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Trevor Getz

A French colonial school in Madagascar. Don’t the students look like they are getting
exciting, enriching, and affirming learning? Public domain.

Schools were another part of indirect rule. Their purpose was to train locals to be government officials. However,
they also taught students the ideas of imperialism. They were told they were inferior. They had to learn about how
the imperialist country’s knowledge was superior to theirs. Again, there was an ironic problem here. Students were
taught European languages. Once they learned these languages, they could read about European thinkers who
argued for equality. These ideas helped colonial subjects challenge the idea of colonialism.

So you see, everything comes back to ideas. Imperialism was a set of ideas that inspired colonialism and other
unfair practices. At the same time, other ideas promoting freedom traveled around the world. Colonial governments
struggled to stop the spread of those ideas.

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Trevor Getz

Trevor Getz
Trevor Getz is Professor of African and World History at San Francisco State University. He has written or edited eleven
books, including the award-winning graphic history Abina and the Important Men, and co-produced several prize-winning
documentaries. He is also the author of A Primer for Teaching African History, which explores questions about how we should
teach the history of Africa in high school and university classes.

Image credits
Cover: British ships destroying an enemy fleet in Canton, 1841. First Opium War, China, 19th century. © DeAgostini/Getty
Images
The Navy Leagues of Britain (and Australia) lobbied and advocated for a larger navy and Empire. They even recruited
children into this effort. From the State Library of New South Wales collection, public domain. https://commons.wikimedia.
org/wiki/File:Naval_League_cadets_in_uniform_march_to_Hoyts_De_Luxe_Cinema,_George_Street,_Sydney_for_the_
film_%22Nelson%22,_6_August_1928_-_photographer_Sam_Hood_(6804246649).jpg
A 1904 cartoon about US President Theodore Roosevelt’s “Quarterdeck Diplomacy”. Roosevelt, who said he wanted to
“speak softly and carry a big stick” sent a fleet into the Caribbean to show off American naval power. By William Allen Rogers,
courtesy of Granger Collection, public domain. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tr-bigstick-cartoon.JPG
Colonial administrations usually issued their own money. This is an Indian five-rupee note from the colonial era, with the
head of British monarch, King George V. This was the official (and only official) currency of India under British rule. By the
colonial government of the British Raj, public domain. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:George_V_on_British_Indian_
banknotes_-_Type_3.4.1B_-_Printed_at_Nasik_Press.jpg
A French colonial school in Madagascar. Don’t the students look like they are getting exciting, enriching, and affirming
learning? Public domain. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Colonial_school_in_Madagascar.jpg

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