EUROPEAN IMPERIALISM

EUROPEAN IMPERIALISM

Even though nationalism and the Industrial Revolution defined European society in the 19^th century, imperialism dramatically altered the world as the century ended. Most European countries embarked on an aggressive expansionist policy to satisfy the economic needs occasioned by the demands of the Industrial Revolution. As technology, science, and industry spurred economic growth, Europe’s industrial economies had to look for new avenues to sustain the expansion. Enhancements in steel production energized transportation and shipbuilding. At the same time, the development of the combustion engine, the railroad, and electric power meant the continent had to conquer other lands and dominate them while exploiting their vast resources. Through military might, annexation, and economic spheres of influence, Europe was motivated to dominate Asia and Africa and exploit their resources for selfish gain, where interactions with locals were often violent, as evidenced by the brutal end of most of the empires European countries created.

The primary motivation for European imperialism was the need to power their economies following a surge in demand for goods. The leading European powers that scrambled for Africa and its resources were Great Britain, France, Italy, Portugal, and Germany, where countries combined the need for resources and the need to take pride of place as conquerors of “primitive” people. The Red Colossus demonstrates the misplaced pride and sentimentalism the European imperialists held after conquering Africa; the image depicts a proud man who has Africa under his feet and a gun to demonstrate the superiority of the imperialists over the native Africans.[1] In essence, the Europeans entered treaties and agreements with people who could barely read, and who had to rely on translators when signing the documents; doubtless, the treaties were heavily skewed in favor of the Europeans at the expense of the natives, as shown by the agreement enforced by the Royal Niger Company.[2]In reality, European imperialism signaled the start of the systematic abuse of the conquered lands and the exploitation of their resources and labor.

The reaction of the local people was always adverse, especially after they understood the motives of the imperialists. In India, the Azamgarh Declaration underscored the hatred the Indians had for the English, whom they referred to as treacherous and infidel[3]. As a result, the relationship was strained because it favored the imperialists over the locals. The imperialists were unwelcome because they wanted to impose their values and ways of life on the locals they conquered, and they tried to implement their idea of civilization against the wishes of the locals. For example, their experiment in India backfired because the Indians had a culture they had cherished for long and which they were unwilling to abandon in the name of civilization.[4]In due course, the conquered people were bound to rebel to enable them to reclaim their dignity.

The justifications the imperialists provided for their adventures were indefensible because they did not include the rights of the local people. Some imperialists assumed conquering foreign lands was one way of assisting primitive people in learning new techniques and adopting change. They believed that it was their responsibility to refine the behavior of savage people, who would not appreciate the favor done to them.[5] Rudyard Kipling embodies the arrogance and intransigence of the imperialists who assumed the people they conquered were inherently uncivilized and incapable of moving ahead with civilization. As a result, his poem was directed at the political class and fellow White men whom he urged to take the burden that had been thrust upon them, which was to depart to foreign lands to enlighten the uncivilized. In reality, he might not have understood the harm that imperialism did to the people and the resources of Africa and Asia, and the disruption of life it caused. The effects of European imperialism would last for generations long after the countries had gained independence.

The documents have inherent strengths because they examine the issue of European imperialism objectively. The documents are primary sources, which gives them credibility. The main weakness is their lack of involvement of the ordinary people who had been conquered. It would have been prudent to include the experiences of local, ordinary people from the conquered lands for the readers to understand the effects of imperialism on such people. There is little doubt that imperialism affected their lives in fundamental ways.

Selfish interests drove European imperialism and motivated countries that wanted to power the Industrial Revolution using resources forcefully removed from Africa and Asia. Apologetics might argue the arrival of Europeans brought civilization and enabled Africa and Asia to benefit from the Industrial Revolution. However, critics observe that the systematic destruction of people’s cherished cultures and the wanton destruction of their resources left a sad and enduring legacy in the colonized lands. European countries had the audacity to impose the values they considered appropriate, in total disregard of the wishes of the local populations. Some of them decided to depart from Europe for political reasons, where they wanted to prove to the other European countries that they had the means and ways to conquer foreign lands. Doubtless, the rising nationalism was destructive to the conquered territories. Regardless of the views of the apologetics and the critics, the legacy of European imperialism remains to date.

List of References

“Indian Home Rule,” In Strayer, Robert W, 2013. Ways of the World: A Brief Global History. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin

“The Azamgarh Declaration” In Strayer, Robert W, 2013. Ways of the World: A Brief Global History. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin

“The Red Colossus,” In Strayer, Robert W, 2013. Ways of the World: A Brief Global History. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin

Kipling, Rudyard. “The White Man’s Burden.” Fordham University, n.d. Accessed from https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/kipling.asp, 18 March 2020

The Standard Treaty

[1] Robert W. Strayer. Ways of the World: A Brief Global History. (Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2013), 829

[2] The Standard Treaty, n.p.

[3] The Azamgarh Declaration, 1184

[4] The Indian Home Rule, 1189

[5] Rudyard Kipling. “The White Man’s Burden,” n.p.