Examples Of European Imperialism
mohammed alqarni
Europe
European imperialism began with the discovery of the New World and the Cape of Good Hope passage to Asia at the end of the 15th century. However, while the Europeans were able to easily wipe out and subjugate the prehistoric hunter-gatherer inhabitants of Africa and the Americas, they encountered wealthy and well-developed societies with powerful armies in Asia and the Middle East who could not be militarily conquered outright. Here the Europeans used trade concessions and trading outposts as their instrument of cover subversion of the host nations. A prime example of this is China in the mid-19th century, where the British came bearing tributes in exchange for constant grants of ports and trade privileges, whereby a representative of the Chinese emperor showed his perplexity at the apparently insatiable greed of the British: …show more content…
“We ponder with veneration upon the Great Emperor’s cherishing tenderness towards foreigners, and utmost justice in all his dealings.
He thereby causes the whole world to participate in his favor, and to enjoy his protection, for the promotion of civilization – and the full enjoyment of lasting benefits. But the English foreigners have now for two years … on account of the investigation in the opium traffic, discarded their obedience and been incessantly fighting … what can possibly be their intention and the drift of their actions?” (Mishra, 2012, p. 41).
From this step on, they tricked local monarchs into giving key commanding posts in their governments and armies from where they controlled state policies (Ansary, 2009, pp. 217-246). In this the European powers also often jostled with each other in the race to grab colonies as Britain squabbled with France and Russia for control over the Middle East, Persia, Afghanistan and India (Withers,
2013).
Even after the European colonial empires were dismantled following World War Two, racism and prejudice against the formerly colonized people still stubbornly linger in the former colonial powers. Asians and Africans who live and work in Western countries to this day suffer from ethnic and racial bias in employment, education and judicial justice to the point where they are rendered powerless outcasts from their professions or the society (Kim, 2004). In fact, even the conquered people have leftover feelings of inferiority and Eurocentrism making them imitate Western lifestyles and pursue pro-Western foreign policies even after independence (Hall & Livingston, 2003) because colonialism left behind some deep scars in the national psyches of the subjugated people.
Though overt colonialism had receded in the post-World War Two era, it has now returned in full force following the 9/11 attacks, and the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Once again the practice of military conquest of a target country for its natural resources and geostrategic importance followed by the installation of a colonial government, all of which is justified by altruistic ideals like democracy and human rights, has unfolded in the 21st century and has set in motion new dynamics whose implications are still unfolding (Cooper & Catchpowle, 2009).
It began with the discovery of new maritime trade routes that led the European powers to more aggressively push for invasion and conquest in Africa and the Americas and trade concessions in Asia and the Middle East. The trend elicited varying responses from the conquered peoples ranging from violent resistance to political maneuvering, culminating in their nominal independence. The post-colonial states were left as de facto colonies still dependent on their former colonizers for support as economic imperialism remained intact, and now after 9/11 even outright military conquest of yore has returned with the invasion of Iraq. While colonialism and imperialism’s forms and dynamics have radically evolved over the last half millennium, it is nonetheless a constant and powerful factor steering world affairs today.
Europe
European imperialism began with the discovery of the New World and the Cape of Good Hope passage to Asia at the end of the 15th century. However, while the Europeans were able to easily wipe out and subjugate the prehistoric hunter-gatherer inhabitants of Africa and the Americas, they encountered wealthy and well-developed societies with powerful armies in Asia and the Middle East who could not be militarily conquered outright. Here the Europeans used trade concessions and trading outposts as their instrument of cover subversion of the host nations. A prime example of this is China in the mid-19th century, where the British came bearing tributes in exchange for constant grants of ports and trade privileges, whereby a representative of the Chinese emperor showed his perplexity at the apparently insatiable greed of the British: …show more content…
“We ponder with veneration upon the Great Emperor’s cherishing tenderness towards foreigners, and utmost justice in all his dealings.
He thereby causes the whole world to participate in his favor, and to enjoy his protection, for the promotion of civilization – and the full enjoyment of lasting benefits. But the English foreigners have now for two years … on account of the investigation in the opium traffic, discarded their obedience and been incessantly fighting … what can possibly be their intention and the drift of their actions?” (Mishra, 2012, p. 41).
From this step on, they tricked local monarchs into giving key commanding posts in their governments and armies from where they controlled state policies (Ansary, 2009, pp. 217-246). In this the European powers also often jostled with each other in the race to grab colonies as Britain squabbled with France and Russia for control over the Middle East, Persia, Afghanistan and India (Withers,
2013).
Even after the European colonial empires were dismantled following World War Two, racism and prejudice against the formerly colonized people still stubbornly linger in the former colonial powers. Asians and Africans who live and work in Western countries to this day suffer from ethnic and racial bias in employment, education and judicial justice to the point where they are rendered powerless outcasts from their professions or the society (Kim, 2004). In fact, even the conquered people have leftover feelings of inferiority and Eurocentrism making them imitate Western lifestyles and pursue pro-Western foreign policies even after independence (Hall & Livingston, 2003) because colonialism left behind some deep scars in the national psyches of the subjugated people.
Though overt colonialism had receded in the post-World War Two era, it has now returned in full force following the 9/11 attacks, and the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Once again the practice of military conquest of a target country for its natural resources and geostrategic importance followed by the installation of a colonial government, all of which is justified by altruistic ideals like democracy and human rights, has unfolded in the 21st century and has set in motion new dynamics whose implications are still unfolding (Cooper & Catchpowle, 2009).
It began with the discovery of new maritime trade routes that led the European powers to more aggressively push for invasion and conquest in Africa and the Americas and trade concessions in Asia and the Middle East. The trend elicited varying responses from the conquered peoples ranging from violent resistance to political maneuvering, culminating in their nominal independence. The post-colonial states were left as de facto colonies still dependent on their former colonizers for support as economic imperialism remained intact, and now after 9/11 even outright military conquest of yore has returned with the invasion of Iraq. While colonialism and imperialism’s forms and dynamics have radically evolved over the last half millennium, it is nonetheless a constant and powerful factor steering world affairs today.