Imperialism

Bath1

David Bath

Ms. Loftus

CHY4U

12, June 2015

Hunt for Wealth: How Imperialism Dominated the West

From the 1600’s to modern day, imperialism has dominated the development of the western world. The need for international colonies consumed world powers and changed the outcome of many historic events. The expansion of imperialism can be broken into 3 time frames: the enlightenment, the industrial revolution, and also the early 1900’s. By examining the growing impact of imperialism throughout these time periods, the following can be concluded: imperialism dominated the development of the west by forcing empires to colonize international lands in search of resources and wealth.

The age of imperialism began around 1700, the same time frame as the Enlightenment, this time period saw a significant increase in foreign land possessions. This sudden bloom in imperialism was sparked by the many european countries,who were undergoing a significant industrial progression(Bacevich). This progression in the economy created a demand for more resources so the factory could maintain a healthy profit. Throughout the early 1700’s, most european powers set up colonies or trading posts throughout the world which increased the nation's foreign trade and

greatly improved the economy. Britain and France were the two countries in the era who were capitalizing on this economic opportunity the most. This desire for more territories sparked an increase in exploration and in-turn changed the course of future events. An example of this is in 1776 when Captain James Cook led his crew to the southern pacific where they were the first europeans to set foot on the continent. This colonization of the southern pacific by England and France led to the crumble of many indigenous cultures, but the financial gains from the territory was worth the cost. These foreign possessions cause many conflicts between powers, because of their greed and determination to protect their proprietary rights. An example of this is the revolutionary war, and also the Napoleonic wars. Proving that imperialism dominated the development of the west by forcing empires to colonize international lands in search of resources and wealth.

Imperialism reached its true high during the industrial revolution and the Victorian ages of the 1800s. The industrial boom once again brought an immediate need for resources. Also, with many factories mass producing products, people became mass consumers creating a need for imported goods. Through the mid 1800s India was considered the “Jewel of the British Empire”, because of the many exotic luxuries that could be sold back in England. Many historians believe that Britain made up to 600 trillion dollars off India(Webb). This huge economic potential is what drove the european kingdoms to the far reaches of the earth. Often leaving behind a path of destruction and war, but these actions were justified by the empires as they were “civilizing” the different cultures to western standards. Once again proving how the imperialistic empires changed the course of world history because of their desire for profit.

Finally, the first fifty years of the twentieth century saw both the peak of imperialism, and the rapid fall of imperialism in the western world. Imperialistic nations reached their height during the time of World War 1.he picture below shows the extent of the British Empire in 1900

This is due to the massive increase in money needed to support the countries in war, but also brought the immediate need for foreign military bases.In the era before WWI, it became standard in Europe for countries with more imperial colonies to be seen as the strongest powers of the continent. The most developed European countries were all competing to get African colonies, which contained inexpensive labor and a cheap way to produce goods. This era became imperialism’s peak. This time lasted all the way up to world war 2 which was actually sparked by imperialistic views. Hitler wanted lands to the east for Germany, so he took up arms to acquire it. Although WW2 saw the height of imperialistic powers, it also sparked the downfall of imperialism. After the war Russia and America came out as the new global powers, and that in combination with globalization and the ever-changing flow of trade led to the fall of imperialistic empires due to financial restraints. By the time of the cold war, only the Soviet Union remained as a global empire, but again due to economic instability they crumbled too, leaving the informal death of imperialism.

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Although many consider imperialism to be a lost form of government, the same ideals are still practiced by some nations. A modern imperialist state does not need to occupy foreign territory to dominate it, but it may, for its own interests, manage and control the wealth and resources distributed from the smaller nation. To achieve its objectives, the more powerful country liaises with or fully supports corporations established in the weaker country.Capitalism is a major driver of modern imperialism as corporations, such as banks and oil companies, expand globally to generate more profits. So, in a redefined sense, imperialism, driven by profit, can still be observed within the western world.

In conclusion, imperialism has had a profound effect on the events in western history. Imperialism dominated the development of the west by forcing empires to colonize international lands in search of resources and wealth. This constant hunt for profit is what has caused many wars and oppression for the last 400 years but the traces left behind are still seen today.