Modern Imperialism


Figure 1.--

Authors when talking about colonialism almost always are referring to the conial empires established by the European countries in the 19th and 20th century. European colonization began with the maritime outreach of Portugal and Spain (15th century). The largest of course was the British empire, but most European countries with navies claimed collonies in Africa and Asia. The topic of imperilism, however, is much wider. And it is historically incorrect to fefine it in Marxist terms as the third world projection of capitalist countries. In fact the Soviets constructed a very large Socialist empire. Europe and much of the middle East and Central Asia were goverened by four great European empires (Austrian, German, Ottoman, and Russian). And two non-European countries (America and Japan carved out small empires. The Bolshevicks after World War I attempted to reconstruct the Tsarist Empire, but was only partially successful. The NAZIs through force of arms temprarily amassed a huge European Empire. As ruthless and explotive as they were, many Arabs and Persians were willing to cooperate with them. The Soviets after World War succeeded in fully reconstituting the Tsarist Empire as well as an extensive empire in central Europe. Beginning in the Cold War, the charge was leveled that America was constructing an empire.

European Imperialism

European colonialism at it's heighth in the 1late 19th century dominated much of Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The coloninization of the Americas (16th-17th century) and India (18th century) was followed in the 19th century with creation of colonia enckaves in China, the Scramble foir Africa, and gunboat diplomacy. The actual colonial regimes varied from country to country. Perhaps the most pernicious was the Belgian rule of the Congo. But the desire to exploit the colonies economically and te prevalent doctrines of religious intolerance, social Darwinism, and white superority created situations in which great harm was done to colonial peoples. The colonial regimes were often justified by paternalistic Victoriam morality, but rarely did pious good intentions result in imrovements in regimes benfitting native people. Many third world countries continue to blame imperialism for their current difficulties. Some of these charge are valid, in many other instances they ar used to mask varing levels of corruption, ineptitude, and venile behavior. Despite the exploitative nature of imperialism, the overall impact is more complicated than often depicted. Imperialism did speed the spred of modern technology and medicine to Aia and Africa. As critical as Indians were of the British, the heritage of British law, democracy, and English law are crutical elements of modern India. Another still unsettled question is whether the colonies really returned mote than the military and admistrative cost of maintainung them. Here economists are deeply divided. Some charge is that colonial peoples suffered because the colonial power dumped inferior goods on protectedcolonial markets. This was not the case for the British Empire which except for relatively brief periods (such as the Depression) was a free market empire. One not well understood aspect of European colonial rule was the class structure introduced there.

Great European Empires

Europe and much of the middle East and Central Asia were goverened by four great European empires (Austrian, German, Ottoman, and Russian).

Non-European Empires

Two non-European countries (America and Japan carved out small empires.

Soviet Empire

The Bolshevicks after World War I attempted to reconstruct the Tsarist Empire, but was only partially successful. They suceeded in regaining control of central Asia and the Ukrain, bur lost much of the non-Russian areas of northern Europe. The Soviets after World War II succeeded in fully reconstituting the Tsarist Empire in Europe as well as an extensive empire in central Europe.

NAZI Empire

The NAZIs through force of arms temprarily amassed a huge European Empire. As ruthless and explotive as they were, many Arabs and Persians were willing to cooperate with them.

Communist China


American Empire

Beginning in the Cold War, the charge was leveled that America was constructing an empire.









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Created: 3:42 AM 9/29/2007
Last updated: 3:42 AM 9/29/2007