Imperialism – one countries domination of the political, economic and/or social life of another country
Reasons for Imperialism:
Economic – raw materials for industrial revolution, trade, cheap labor, new markets
Political – nationalism (pride and prestige), national security/border protection, military bases & source of troops
Social – missionary (spread Christianity), social Darwinism (survival of the fittest applied to society; European society “the fittest); spread cultural values - racism/cultural superiority; white man’s burden (duty to civilize non-whites)
Forces enabling – maxim gun, railroad/steamships, cure for malaria, internal divisions, industrial revolution
Types of Imperialism
Colony – Imperialist country installs its own government; most direct form of control (Vietnam)
Protectorate – territory maintains its own government with strong foreign influence (Egypt)
Sphere of Influence – exclusive trading rights (China)
Africa
Berlin Conference 1884: Partitioned Africa – cultural/ethnic/tribal lines disregarded
White Mans burden – duty of Europeans to civilize the rest of the world. Used to justify European colonialism
“half-devil, half-child” = racist description of natives – unchristian, needing parental care
Algeria
Colonizer: France
Motive(s):border protection/national security; place to settle unemployed from industrial revolution
Resistance: 10 year war between Abd al Qadir (Algeria) and Charles X (France)
Egypt
Colonizer: Britain
Motives: Suez canal – trade; geographic location – cut distance to India
Resistance: Britain gradually gained control; Egypt became a British protectorate
Libya
Colonizer: Italy
Motives: National Security
Resistance: Ottoman Turk
Congo
Colonizer: King Leopold II/ Belgium
Motives: Natural resources (rubber, ivory), cheap labor
Effects: stripped land of natural resources (rubber trees, elephants), caused thousands of deaths due to brutality
South