Imperialism

What Is Imperialism? Definition: A policy in which a strong nation seeks to dominate other countries politically, economically or socially

Motives For Imperialism

Motives For Imperialism Loss of New World Empires: France, Great Britain, Spain, & Portugal all lost colonies in the 18th – 19th centuries 1760s: France lost Canada & India to Great Britain 1770s: GB lost US colonies 1800s: Spain & Portugal lost Latin American colonies

Motives For Imperialism Economic: The IR created a higher demand for new sources of raw materials & new markets for products

Motives For Imperialism Nationalism: Prestige, strategic locations, greed, ethnocentrism

Motives For Imperialism “Civilizing” Missions: The desire to spread Western culture Spread the Christian message Belief in European superiority Social Darwinism Social Darwinism: European superiority Inferiority of non-white cultures Europeans MUST civilize the world Only the strongest nations will survive

Justification??? “I contend that we [Britons] are the first race in the world, and the more of the world we inhabit, the better it is for the human race…It is our duty to seize every opportunity of acquiring more territory and we should keep this one idea steadily before our eyes that more territory simply means more of the Anglo-Saxon race, more of the best, the most human, most honourable race the world possesses.” --Cecil Rhodes, 1877 (De Beers Consolidated Mines)

                                                                            

Forms of Imperialism COLONY: A foreign region that is under the direct control of a mother country Governed by a foreign power

Forms of Imperialism PROTECTORATE: A foreign region in which the mother country allows native rulers to maintain their position of power, but controls them

Forms of Imperialism SPHERE OF INFLUENCE: An area in which an outside power claims exclusive investment or trading privileges

Forms of Imperialism Economic Imperialism: An independent but less-developed country controlled by private business interests rather than other governments

Treatment of Native People

Treatment of Native People Enslavement: Forced labor Segregation: Separation of races

Treatment of Native People Assimilation: The forced adoption of a “mainstream” culture

Problems for Natives?? Loss of traditional culture Loss of traditional leadership Division of tribal groups Population decline Depletion of natural resources; loss of good farmland