Causes Of European Imperialism

The European’s excuses for imperialism were very different that their motives. What they said they were going to do in these countries would have helped the countries, by providing them with technological advantages. They told people that they were going to help civilize the people in the countries and that they were doing the right thing. However, this rarely happened and the result of imperialism hurt the colony. In some instances, they Europeans actually did bring new technology to the civilizations that they took over. When they took over the Ndebele people of Nigeria, they brought plows, European clothes, and education (Kumalo). Even though the Ndebele people now had access to plows and other European technology, there were still a lot
of negatives brought to them by imperialism. Another motive that they had gone to imperialize these countries was going to help them by spreading the best race, white, (Rhodes). The Europeans believed that “[white people] are the first race in the world and that the more of the world we inhabit the better it is for the human race,” (Rhodes). The Europeans did spread their languages and religions all over Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Along with spreading the best race, the Europeans went to these places seeking resources for the factories that needed raw materials due to the start of the industrial revolution. British factories now saw India as not only a resource for the needed raw materials but also as a market to sell the products produced by the factories. (World Cultures). The excuse that they were helping the countries by taking them over was not true to the reality that they were going to these countries for raw materials, and to spread their own race, religion, and culture.