European Imperialism
Causes of European Imperialism in the 19th Century
The industrial revolution caused European imperialism. There was increased production leading to a limited market for the products. There was also a reduction of the Europeans’ power of purchasing brought about by capitalism. National security also led to the European Imperialism (Porter, 2016, p. 45). In this case, European government officials worked hard towards imperialism. Moreover, European Imperialism resulted from a power balance where the Nations of Europe received an order requiring them to have new colonies to achieve a balance with both neighbors and competitors. The rapid population growth in Europe also acted as one of the driving factors of Industrial Imperialism since it led to high levels of unemployment and migrations. Besides, the anarchy state resulted in European Imperialism in that it led to a lack of international organization, the enactment, and enforcement of laws.
What the British hoped to achieve through Imperial Expansion in Africa and Asia
Through the imperial expansion, the British hoped to invest their surplus capital in Africa. The British investment hope was due to the cheap materials and the reduced competition in Africa (Bakker, 2017, p. 7). The British also hoped to acquire Africa’s abundant raw materials, which included rubber, copper, cotton, palm oil, and diamonds. In Asia, the British had a hope of achieving raw materials and being part of the trade.
Consequences of Imperialism in Africa and Asia
Imperialism led to the economic damage of both Asia and Africa. The damage was due to Europeans taking up all the powers (Bakker, 2017, p. 6). The political and cultural states of both Africa and Asia also suffered the damage of imperialism. Asians and Africans also experienced manipulation due to forced and cheap labor in the farms that Europeans took. Besides, there were heavy taxes imposed for Asians and Africans to cater to the Europeans‘ needs.
References
Porter, A. N. (2016). European Imperialism, 1860-1914. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Bakker, J. I. (2017). Imperialism. The Wiley‐Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Theory, 1-9.
Video- Imperialism: Crash Course World History #35