The History and Causes of 19th Century Imperialism

Imperialism

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a number of developed countries took control of other regions and lands all over the world. These lands became colonies and formed part of the various colonial empires. The objective of imperialism was political control and economic exploitation of the colonies.

The Causes

Imperial expansion was mainly a result of the rise of finance capitalism. The increase in production forced industrialised countries, such as Germany and Great Britain, to look for new markets outside Europe, where they could find new sources of raw materials and cheap sources of energy, sell manufactured goods, and invest capital.

There were also other reasons for the development of imperialism:

• International Prestige: For European countries, colonies were a symbol of status.
• Strategic Security: It was important to control strategic locations to gain greater security and mobility in the case of armed conflict.
• Demographic Pressure: The growth of the population in Europe and the use of machinery in factories caused high levels of unemployment. Many people emigrated to the colonies to look for work, and some governments encouraged this to avoid social conflict.
• Scientific Progress: Expeditions were required to map unknown areas of the world, such as the African continent, and to discover new plants, animals, and minerals.
• Ideological Beliefs: At this time, people believed in the supremacy of white people and that it was their duty to bring European culture and Christian values to indigenous societies that were considered to be less civilised.

The Colonial Empires

The European powers, the United States, and Japan colonised most of Africa, Asia, and Oceania. However, the largest colonial empires belonged to France and Great Britain, who competed with each other to gain control of colonies in Africa and Asia. Other industrialised countries began building their colonial empires between 1870 and 1914.

The British Empire

The British Empire had a long history of establishing colonies, maintaining control of strategic locations such as Gibraltar, Malta, Ceylon, and the Maldives. During the 20th century, its maritime hegemony allowed it to extend its area of influence to areas of America, Asia, and Oceania, with its most significant possessions in Australia.

In 1877, Queen Victoria was crowned Empress of India. From this point, colonial expansion accelerated, particularly in Africa, where the British Empire occupied almost the entire continent from the north to the south.

The French Empire

The French also established a vast colonial network, competing directly with British interests.

Historical Context: The Rhodes Colossus

Cartoon of Cecil Rhodes, a British businessman and politician who built a railway line from Cairo in Egypt to the Cape in South Africa, to ensure British domination of Africa: 'Striding from Cape Town to Cairo.'