Imperialism
Evaluate causes, methods, resistance, and consequences of nineteenth-century imperialism in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.
A lesson of World History, in Revolutions and Industrialization, about 10 minutes.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to explain the causes of 19th-century imperialism, describe the Scramble for Africa and colonization of Asia, analyze different forms of colonial rule, and evaluate the consequences of imperialism for colonized peoples.
What Is Imperialism?
Imperialism is the domination of one country over another through political, economic, or military power. It is as old as civilization, but the "New Imperialism" of the 19th century was distinctive in its speed, scale, and the justifications used.
By 1914, European powers controlled 84% of the Earth's land surface.
Causes of New Imperialism
Economic: Industrial Revolution created need for:
- Raw materials (rubber, cotton, copper, palm oil)
- New markets for manufactured goods
- Investment opportunities for surplus capital
Political and nationalistic: European nations competed for global power and prestige; colonies were symbols of national greatness.
Military and strategic: controlling sea lanes, coaling stations, and key geographic chokepoints (Suez Canal, Cape of Good Hope).
Technological: the "tools of empire":
- Steamships: faster, more reliable than sailing ships; could navigate rivers
- Quinine: prevented malaria; made African interior survivable for Europeans
- Telegraph: connected empire to center in near-real time
- Maxim gun (1884): first automatic machine gun — devastating military advantage
Ideological:
- "White Man's Burden" (Rudyard Kipling): racist ideology that Europeans had a duty to "civilize" non-Europeans
- Social Darwinism: misapplication of Darwin's evolution to argue that European dominance was "natural selection" — the strong surviving over the weak
- Christian missionary activity: conversion was both a goal and a justification
The Scramble for Africa
Before 1880, Europeans controlled only coastal trading posts in Africa. Between 1880 and 1914, the entire continent was claimed.
Berlin Conference (1884–1885):
- Called by Bismarck; 14 European powers drew borders across Africa
- No African rulers were invited
- Established rules for claiming African territory
By 1914: only Ethiopia (defeated Italy at the Battle of Adwa, 1896) and Liberia (US-backed) remained independent.
British Empire in Africa: