Imperialism In The Last 500 Years
Imperialism
Imperialism defined by The Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationship, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years, as described by the above work, is primarily a western undertaking that employs "expansionist – mercantilism and latterly communist – systems." Geographical domains have included the Mongolian, Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the Holy Roman Empire, the Portuguese Empire, the Spanish Empire, the Dutch Empire, the Persian Empire, the French Empire, the Russian Empire, the Chinese Empire, and the British Empire, but the term can equally be applied to domains of knowledge, beliefs, values and expertise, such as the empires of Christianity or Islam .Imperialism is usually autocratic, and also …show more content…
sometimes monolithic (i.e. having a massive, unchanging structure that does not allow individual variation) in character. It can be relatively benign as in Canada, or brutal as in the Belgian Congo.
The term imperialism is referred to as a domain that can be political, economic or geographical in nature. A prominent example of such a domain is the Imperialist and Colonist British Empire of the 19th century. Sometimes, it can also be with regard to thoughts, religious beliefs, political beliefs, etc. Communism is an example of such imperialism. The word imperialism is coined from the Latin word impetrate roughly translated as 'to command'. It is believed that the word imperialism came into use in the 16th century, and was derived from the Roman concept of emporium. Prominent dictionaries, give three significant definitions to the term imperialism. Every definition of this kind refers to some or the other 'type' of imperialism or domains of imperialism.
The first and the most predominant definition of imperialism is "political expansion of rule over foreign countries". This definition refers to conquest, annexation and dominance of one nation over another nation or nations. This definition is normally used in the reference of the expansionist and colonist activities that the European nations carried out after the discovery of trade routes to Asia, Africa and the New World (present day American continent). Initially the concept of imperialism was initiated even before the European nations started their expansion. Imperialism was prominently seen in ancient times in the empires like the Chinese Empire, the Roman Empire, and the golden horde of Genghis Khan. In the late 19th century, the era or 'age of Imperialism' began, where European nations, who happened to be technologically more advanced than the rest of the world, started enslaving the continents of Asia, Africa, and America. Sometimes imperialism is also defined as a "political orientation advocating imperial interests". This definition refers to the promotion of ideologies. One of the most prominent examples is that of promotion of democracy, or the promotion of communism, by the United States and Russia, during the Cold War. Sometimes this definition is also referred to the promotion domain of faith or religious belief. One of the best example is that of Spain's promotion of Catholic faith in England, during the rule of 'Bloody' Mary (1516 to 1558, predecessor of Elizabeth I).
Imperialism is also defined as "aggressive extension of authority". This definition of imperialism is considered to be a generalized definition. However, it also refers to any kind of expansion, either political or economic in nature. This kind of imperialism is seen in the modern era, in the corporate world where companies try to monopolize or dominate the market in which they sell their product. The most common means of doing so is resorting to imperialist measures like trying to purchase all the competitors, developing the best possible products and services, reduction of price, excessive promotion, etc.
One of the most common types of imperialism seen in the modern era is the Imperialism for the natural resources like oil.
Many critics of the Gulf War and the Iraq War claim that these wars were a part of the concept known as 'oil imperialism' where sources of oil were exploited. The wars gave United States control over the sources of oil in the Gulf, making it the third largest oil producer in the world, and also a global super power of the century.
Though the phenomenon of imperialism is considered to be immoral by some people, it will tend to exist as long as living beings thrive on this earth.
In recent years, there has also been a trend to criticize imperialism not at an economic or political level, but at a simply cultural level, particularly the widespread global influence of American culture. Some dispute this extension, however, on the grounds that it is highly subjective (to differentiate between mutual interaction and undue influence) and also applied selectively (hamburgers being imperialist and black tea not). The debate continues.
Cultural
imperialism is the act of a nation imposing its cultural values onto another, usually weaker, nation. Cultural imperialism can take the form of an active, formal policy or a general attitude. A metaphor of colonialism is employed: the cultural products of the first world” invade" the third-world and "conquer" local culture. In the stronger variants of the term, world domination (in a cultural sense) is the explicit goal of the nation-states or multinational corporations that export the culture. The term is usually used in a pejorative sense, often in conjunction with a call to reject such influence.
Communist imperialism
Despite their rhetoric, Bolshevik leaders had effectively reestablished the Romanov Empire by 1921. The new regime had most of the hallmarks of the classic empire; local administrations outside Russia proper staffed by non-native elites within a strictly centralized ministerial system extracting surplus product from the peripheries. The social base of the Bolshevik regime in the non-Russian territories was local Russians settled there primarily from the end of the nineteenth century. Between 1923 and 1932 the imperial-colonial relationship was considerably moderated by virtue of the policy of "Indigenization". This was never formally revoked. Its cultural and linguistic concessions to non-Russians, however, stopped being implemented and enforced. After World War II, the Soviet Union installed friendly puppet regimes modeled on those it had installed in 1919-20 in the old tsarist empire in areas its forces occupied in Eastern Europe. The Soviet Union and People's Republic of China tried to harness post–World War II anti-colonial national-liberation movements to advance their own interests but were not always successful.
Political Imperialism
A policy of extending a country's power and influence The control of one or a number of countries by a dominant nation. This control may be political, economic, or both, and indicates a degree of dependence in the subordinate nation. Many writers take the word as a synonym for colonialism, but imperialism can exist without the creation of formal colonies, which usually require military force and the institution of a colonial administration.
Imperialism was promoted by monopolizing the external trade of the subordinate nation. The imperial power takes raw materials from the colony and sells it finished goods in return, discouraging the development of any manufacturing industry which might compete with its own. It was further endorsed by the imperialist gaze, which saw subsistence landscapes as ‘empty’ (despite the presence of indigenous people) and ripe for capitalism: colonized spaces were deterritorialized, ‘stripped of preceding significations and then re-territorialized according to the convenience of the…imperial administration’ (D. Harvey 1989). This imperialist gaze also developed new constructs of race and gender—See colonial discourse—and Blunt (Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 24) has illustrated the political significance of imperial power at the domestic scale.
Imperialism was not, of course, a concept novel to the nineteenth century. A number of European states, most notably Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands, had carved out large overseas empires in the age of exploration. However, the new technologies of the nineteenth century encouraged imperial growth. Quinine, for instance, allowed for the conquest of inland Africa, whilst the telegraph enabled states to monitor their imperial possessions around the world. When the value of these new technologies became apparent, the states of Europe began to take control of large swathes of territory in Africa and Asia, heralding in a new era of imperialism.
Imperialism occurs when a strong nation takes over a weaker nation or region and dominates its economic, political, or cultural life. This type of foreign policy was practiced by European nations and Japan throughout the 1800s and early 1900s. In every case, a nation would experience industrialization prior to practicing imperialism on a foreign nation or region. This was due to the nearly insatiable demand for cheap raw materials and the need for markets to buy manufactured goods.
In the short-term, imperialism was a very profitable foreign policy which came at the expense of the foreign regions where it was being practiced. Cultural diffusion also occurred, leading to an exchange of ideas between the West and the East. For example, European methods of education were adopted, leading non-Europeans to study ideas of liberty and democracy embraced during the Enlightenment and various political revolutions. This exchange eventually led to the demise of imperialism and colonialism throughout the world after World War Two.
Technically, Imperialism is when a country is an empire and takes over other countries, Britain before WWII was a prime example of this, with it's huge empire around the world. Other countries, France, Spain, and eventually America became imperialists. The term came from 'empire' but many of these countries were no longer, or never were 'empires', with a monarch, but had the military power to take over other, weaker, undeveloped areas. In the late 20th century, the term was often used by Communists and Marxist supporters in other areas to describe the United States for either trying to rule other parts of the world or interfering with governments, etc. Wars like Korea, Viet Nam, etc were fought directly by the US, many others were fought by sending aid to one side or another, such as in Central America in the 1980's.
The irony about this "imperialism" as it was called by Russia and others, the Soviets were just as imperialistic, trying to take over, influence, etc. The entire Cold War was based on that.
Media Imperialism
Media imperialism is a theory stating that smaller countries are losing their identity due to the force-feeding of media from larger nations. It can be equated to small community shops closing down due to large superstores moving in, taking over and having a monopoly. As the larger media corporations begin to take over, smaller media companies are either being forced out or swallowed up.
The media coverage of the larger nations has been criticized as having blanket coverage of the world's events. The media content may be affected by the ability to control the content and amount of media coverage on a particular issue. Many think that media imperialism has led to biased information and inaccuracy within news stories.
Media imperialism is not just seen internationally. When large amounts of media output are produced by just a few or even one company, then this too is media imperialism. Countries such as Canada and Italy are often accused of media imperialism. A large amount of the media output in these two countries is controlled by just one company.
The problem with just one company or owner controlling the media is that media output can be biased. The owner can decide on what information is shown, as well as what to censor. This can sometimes come down to an influence from the country's government. Media imperialism has often been linked with a lack of freedom of information. A large number of 24-hour news channels have been found to be acting without regard to journalistic integrity. Some countries' governments will even be dictated to by large manufacturing companies. This is because a great amount of the country's wealth is brought in from these manufacturing companies. If there is any bad press about these companies, the company will simply move somewhere else.
Another large reason for the existence of media imperialism is due to advertising. Advertisers use media companies to promote their goods but will also lay down stipulations on the content of the media produced. The Canadian Broadcasting Company channel makes at least 25% of its income from advertising. The content of the broadcasting is down to its profits. Many programs shown in Canada are seen to not reflect the Canadian identity.
In Britain, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) operates its own form of media imperialism. The BBC has an annual television license that needs to be bought before you can own a television, regardless of whether you watch the BBC or not. It is similar to going shopping and one shop saying you cannot go shopping unless you pay us a certain amount of money, even if you do not shop with us.
The BBC's television license fee has caused much controversy over the years. If you do not pay the license, you can be fined up to 5,000 GB pounds (GBP). That is around 10,000 US dollars (USD). There are a number of channels available to watch on British television but only the BBC has the right to charge for theirs. It is not strictly thought of as media imperialism, as the content of the BBC is mainly British, even though it may not represent the multiculturalism present in Britain.
Economic Imperialism
Economics is not only a social science, it is a genuine science. Like the physical sciences, economics uses a methodology that produces refutable implications and tests these implications using solid statistical techniques. In particular, economics stresses three factors that distinguish it from other social sciences. Economists use the construct of rational individuals who engage in maximizing behavior. Economic models adhere strictly to the importance of equilibrium as part of any theory. Finally, a focus on efficiency leads economists to ask questions that other social sciences ignore. These ingredients have allowed economics to invade intellectual territory that was previously deemed to be outside the discipline's realm.
Economic analysis can be applied to many problems in social life, not just those conventionally called “economic.” The theme of my Nobel lecture, based on my life’s work, is that the horizons of economics need to be expanded. Economists can talk not only about the demand for cars, but also about matters such as the family, discrimination, and religion, and about prejudice, guilt, and love. Yet these areas have traditionally received little attention in economics. In that sense, it’s true: I am an economic imperialist. I believe good techniques have a wide application. Adam Smith and many others believed that as well.
Imperialism defined by The Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationship, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years, as described by the above work, is primarily a western undertaking that employs "expansionist – mercantilism and latterly communist – systems." Geographical domains have included the Mongolian, Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the Holy Roman Empire, the Portuguese Empire, the Spanish Empire, the Dutch Empire, the Persian Empire, the French Empire, the Russian Empire, the Chinese Empire, and the British Empire, but the term can equally be applied to domains of knowledge, beliefs, values and expertise, such as the empires of Christianity or Islam .Imperialism is usually autocratic, and also …show more content…
sometimes monolithic (i.e. having a massive, unchanging structure that does not allow individual variation) in character. It can be relatively benign as in Canada, or brutal as in the Belgian Congo.
The term imperialism is referred to as a domain that can be political, economic or geographical in nature. A prominent example of such a domain is the Imperialist and Colonist British Empire of the 19th century. Sometimes, it can also be with regard to thoughts, religious beliefs, political beliefs, etc. Communism is an example of such imperialism. The word imperialism is coined from the Latin word impetrate roughly translated as 'to command'. It is believed that the word imperialism came into use in the 16th century, and was derived from the Roman concept of emporium. Prominent dictionaries, give three significant definitions to the term imperialism. Every definition of this kind refers to some or the other 'type' of imperialism or domains of imperialism.
The first and the most predominant definition of imperialism is "political expansion of rule over foreign countries". This definition refers to conquest, annexation and dominance of one nation over another nation or nations. This definition is normally used in the reference of the expansionist and colonist activities that the European nations carried out after the discovery of trade routes to Asia, Africa and the New World (present day American continent). Initially the concept of imperialism was initiated even before the European nations started their expansion. Imperialism was prominently seen in ancient times in the empires like the Chinese Empire, the Roman Empire, and the golden horde of Genghis Khan. In the late 19th century, the era or 'age of Imperialism' began, where European nations, who happened to be technologically more advanced than the rest of the world, started enslaving the continents of Asia, Africa, and America. Sometimes imperialism is also defined as a "political orientation advocating imperial interests". This definition refers to the promotion of ideologies. One of the most prominent examples is that of promotion of democracy, or the promotion of communism, by the United States and Russia, during the Cold War. Sometimes this definition is also referred to the promotion domain of faith or religious belief. One of the best example is that of Spain's promotion of Catholic faith in England, during the rule of 'Bloody' Mary (1516 to 1558, predecessor of Elizabeth I).
Imperialism is also defined as "aggressive extension of authority". This definition of imperialism is considered to be a generalized definition. However, it also refers to any kind of expansion, either political or economic in nature. This kind of imperialism is seen in the modern era, in the corporate world where companies try to monopolize or dominate the market in which they sell their product. The most common means of doing so is resorting to imperialist measures like trying to purchase all the competitors, developing the best possible products and services, reduction of price, excessive promotion, etc.
One of the most common types of imperialism seen in the modern era is the Imperialism for the natural resources like oil.
Many critics of the Gulf War and the Iraq War claim that these wars were a part of the concept known as 'oil imperialism' where sources of oil were exploited. The wars gave United States control over the sources of oil in the Gulf, making it the third largest oil producer in the world, and also a global super power of the century.
Though the phenomenon of imperialism is considered to be immoral by some people, it will tend to exist as long as living beings thrive on this earth.
In recent years, there has also been a trend to criticize imperialism not at an economic or political level, but at a simply cultural level, particularly the widespread global influence of American culture. Some dispute this extension, however, on the grounds that it is highly subjective (to differentiate between mutual interaction and undue influence) and also applied selectively (hamburgers being imperialist and black tea not). The debate continues.
Cultural
imperialism is the act of a nation imposing its cultural values onto another, usually weaker, nation. Cultural imperialism can take the form of an active, formal policy or a general attitude. A metaphor of colonialism is employed: the cultural products of the first world” invade" the third-world and "conquer" local culture. In the stronger variants of the term, world domination (in a cultural sense) is the explicit goal of the nation-states or multinational corporations that export the culture. The term is usually used in a pejorative sense, often in conjunction with a call to reject such influence.
Communist imperialism
Despite their rhetoric, Bolshevik leaders had effectively reestablished the Romanov Empire by 1921. The new regime had most of the hallmarks of the classic empire; local administrations outside Russia proper staffed by non-native elites within a strictly centralized ministerial system extracting surplus product from the peripheries. The social base of the Bolshevik regime in the non-Russian territories was local Russians settled there primarily from the end of the nineteenth century. Between 1923 and 1932 the imperial-colonial relationship was considerably moderated by virtue of the policy of "Indigenization". This was never formally revoked. Its cultural and linguistic concessions to non-Russians, however, stopped being implemented and enforced. After World War II, the Soviet Union installed friendly puppet regimes modeled on those it had installed in 1919-20 in the old tsarist empire in areas its forces occupied in Eastern Europe. The Soviet Union and People's Republic of China tried to harness post–World War II anti-colonial national-liberation movements to advance their own interests but were not always successful.
Political Imperialism
A policy of extending a country's power and influence The control of one or a number of countries by a dominant nation. This control may be political, economic, or both, and indicates a degree of dependence in the subordinate nation. Many writers take the word as a synonym for colonialism, but imperialism can exist without the creation of formal colonies, which usually require military force and the institution of a colonial administration.
Imperialism was promoted by monopolizing the external trade of the subordinate nation. The imperial power takes raw materials from the colony and sells it finished goods in return, discouraging the development of any manufacturing industry which might compete with its own. It was further endorsed by the imperialist gaze, which saw subsistence landscapes as ‘empty’ (despite the presence of indigenous people) and ripe for capitalism: colonized spaces were deterritorialized, ‘stripped of preceding significations and then re-territorialized according to the convenience of the…imperial administration’ (D. Harvey 1989). This imperialist gaze also developed new constructs of race and gender—See colonial discourse—and Blunt (Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 24) has illustrated the political significance of imperial power at the domestic scale.
Imperialism was not, of course, a concept novel to the nineteenth century. A number of European states, most notably Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands, had carved out large overseas empires in the age of exploration. However, the new technologies of the nineteenth century encouraged imperial growth. Quinine, for instance, allowed for the conquest of inland Africa, whilst the telegraph enabled states to monitor their imperial possessions around the world. When the value of these new technologies became apparent, the states of Europe began to take control of large swathes of territory in Africa and Asia, heralding in a new era of imperialism.
Imperialism occurs when a strong nation takes over a weaker nation or region and dominates its economic, political, or cultural life. This type of foreign policy was practiced by European nations and Japan throughout the 1800s and early 1900s. In every case, a nation would experience industrialization prior to practicing imperialism on a foreign nation or region. This was due to the nearly insatiable demand for cheap raw materials and the need for markets to buy manufactured goods.
In the short-term, imperialism was a very profitable foreign policy which came at the expense of the foreign regions where it was being practiced. Cultural diffusion also occurred, leading to an exchange of ideas between the West and the East. For example, European methods of education were adopted, leading non-Europeans to study ideas of liberty and democracy embraced during the Enlightenment and various political revolutions. This exchange eventually led to the demise of imperialism and colonialism throughout the world after World War Two.
Technically, Imperialism is when a country is an empire and takes over other countries, Britain before WWII was a prime example of this, with it's huge empire around the world. Other countries, France, Spain, and eventually America became imperialists. The term came from 'empire' but many of these countries were no longer, or never were 'empires', with a monarch, but had the military power to take over other, weaker, undeveloped areas. In the late 20th century, the term was often used by Communists and Marxist supporters in other areas to describe the United States for either trying to rule other parts of the world or interfering with governments, etc. Wars like Korea, Viet Nam, etc were fought directly by the US, many others were fought by sending aid to one side or another, such as in Central America in the 1980's.
The irony about this "imperialism" as it was called by Russia and others, the Soviets were just as imperialistic, trying to take over, influence, etc. The entire Cold War was based on that.
Media Imperialism
Media imperialism is a theory stating that smaller countries are losing their identity due to the force-feeding of media from larger nations. It can be equated to small community shops closing down due to large superstores moving in, taking over and having a monopoly. As the larger media corporations begin to take over, smaller media companies are either being forced out or swallowed up.
The media coverage of the larger nations has been criticized as having blanket coverage of the world's events. The media content may be affected by the ability to control the content and amount of media coverage on a particular issue. Many think that media imperialism has led to biased information and inaccuracy within news stories.
Media imperialism is not just seen internationally. When large amounts of media output are produced by just a few or even one company, then this too is media imperialism. Countries such as Canada and Italy are often accused of media imperialism. A large amount of the media output in these two countries is controlled by just one company.
The problem with just one company or owner controlling the media is that media output can be biased. The owner can decide on what information is shown, as well as what to censor. This can sometimes come down to an influence from the country's government. Media imperialism has often been linked with a lack of freedom of information. A large number of 24-hour news channels have been found to be acting without regard to journalistic integrity. Some countries' governments will even be dictated to by large manufacturing companies. This is because a great amount of the country's wealth is brought in from these manufacturing companies. If there is any bad press about these companies, the company will simply move somewhere else.
Another large reason for the existence of media imperialism is due to advertising. Advertisers use media companies to promote their goods but will also lay down stipulations on the content of the media produced. The Canadian Broadcasting Company channel makes at least 25% of its income from advertising. The content of the broadcasting is down to its profits. Many programs shown in Canada are seen to not reflect the Canadian identity.
In Britain, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) operates its own form of media imperialism. The BBC has an annual television license that needs to be bought before you can own a television, regardless of whether you watch the BBC or not. It is similar to going shopping and one shop saying you cannot go shopping unless you pay us a certain amount of money, even if you do not shop with us.
The BBC's television license fee has caused much controversy over the years. If you do not pay the license, you can be fined up to 5,000 GB pounds (GBP). That is around 10,000 US dollars (USD). There are a number of channels available to watch on British television but only the BBC has the right to charge for theirs. It is not strictly thought of as media imperialism, as the content of the BBC is mainly British, even though it may not represent the multiculturalism present in Britain.
Economic Imperialism
Economics is not only a social science, it is a genuine science. Like the physical sciences, economics uses a methodology that produces refutable implications and tests these implications using solid statistical techniques. In particular, economics stresses three factors that distinguish it from other social sciences. Economists use the construct of rational individuals who engage in maximizing behavior. Economic models adhere strictly to the importance of equilibrium as part of any theory. Finally, a focus on efficiency leads economists to ask questions that other social sciences ignore. These ingredients have allowed economics to invade intellectual territory that was previously deemed to be outside the discipline's realm.
Economic analysis can be applied to many problems in social life, not just those conventionally called “economic.” The theme of my Nobel lecture, based on my life’s work, is that the horizons of economics need to be expanded. Economists can talk not only about the demand for cars, but also about matters such as the family, discrimination, and religion, and about prejudice, guilt, and love. Yet these areas have traditionally received little attention in economics. In that sense, it’s true: I am an economic imperialist. I believe good techniques have a wide application. Adam Smith and many others believed that as well.