The New Imperialism, 1869-1914

The New Imperialism: Motives and Methods

The Scramble for Africa

Imperialism in Asia and the Pacific

Imperialism in Latin America

The World Economy and the Global Environment

Learning Objectives:

After reading and studying this chapter you should be able to discuss:

1. Understand the concepts of "New Imperialism" and "colonialism" and be able to analyze them in terms of motives, their methods, and their place in the development of the world economy and the global environment.

2. Understand the "Scramble for Africa" and be able to use concrete examples to illustrate the process of colonization and reactions to colonization in Africa.

3. Understand the process by which Central and Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands were brought under the domination of the great powers.

4. Understand and be able to analyze the causes and significance of free-trade imperialism in Latin America.

Focus and Essential Questions:

What motivated the industrial nations to conquer new territories, and what means did they use?

Why were imperialists drawn to the natural resources of Africa, and how did their presence on that continent change the environment?

What were the social and cultural effects of imperialism in Asia?

What were the economic motives behind imperialism in Latin America?

How did imperialism contribute to the growth and globalization of the world economy?

The New Imperialism: Motives and Methods

Europe had a long tradition of imperialism

reaching back to the twelfth century

New Imperialism was characterized by an

explosion of territorial conquests even more

rapid than the Spanish conquests of the 16th

century

Economic, cultural, and political motives

French leaders, humiliated by their

defeat in 1871, sought to reestablish

their nation’s prestige through territorial gain

The desire for impressive empire

overseas as a reflection of national

grander

Political Motives

Cultural Motives

Both Catholics and Protestants founded new

missionary societies, converting nonbelievers and

to export their own norms of “civilized” behavior

Western morals, medicine, hygiene, and monogamous marriages; Women sought

to reform cultures under the auspices of women’s rights

—sati

Many Europeans and Americans equated

technological innovations with “progress” and

“change”

Humanity was divided into several races based on physical appearance

and ranked in a hierarchy of “civilized”, “semi-

barbarous”, “barbarian”, and “savage”

Economic Motives

The industrialization of Europe and North America stimulated the demand for

raw materials

An economic depression from 1870-1890 caused European merchants,

manufactures, and shippers to seek protection against for foreign competition—

leading to the acquisition of colonies

The Tools of Imperialists

Nineteenth century technological

innovations began to tip the balance of power in

favor of Europe

The steamship, Suez Canal, Submarine

Telegraph cables, Breech loading/Muzzle-loading,

smokeless powder, machine guns

Colonial Agents and Administration

The system of administering and exploiting colonies for the

benefit of the home country is known as *colonialism

Colonial protectorates had traditional governments with

monarchs but European “advisors”

Most colonies operated with local military forces under the control of the European nation

The Scramble for Africa

Contact with Europeans

Initial phase: 1470s-mid1500sPortuguese trade in fish,

pepper, ivory, gold

Not colonizers or rulers; Africans treated as equal

partners

Some missionary work in the Congo

but not a long-term Portuguese effort

Introduced crops from

America: maize, tobacco, cassava,

tomato pineapple, sweet

potatoIndies: orange, lemon, lime, rice, sugar cane

By end of 15th century, trade mainly

gold and slaves.

Second phase: mid-1500s-1800

Other nations entered in:

England, France, Holland

Trade was focused

Little scientific curiosity, no interest in

colonization, attempts to Christianize or Westernize was

abandoned and slave trade was emphasized

Demand for Slaves

Labor intensive enterprises: Mining and plantations

Frontier conditions in the Americas: Africans survived in the tropics; Africans have

same immunities as Europeans

Slave labor enabled industrialization:

Textiles, sugar refining, distilling

Sources of slaves

Prisoners of war

Captured in raids

Domestic slaves and pawns

resold

Criminals

Effects of Slave Trade

Africa:Depopulation

Hindered economic

development

Atmosphere of fear and insecurity; increased war

and raids

Change in attitudes of Europeans toward

Africans

Colonization of Africa

1879 90% of Africa was independent

1900 all but a fraction of Africa was governed by European powers

Reasons for the Scramble for Africa

Economic: Europeans needed raw materials produced in

Africa to feed European factoriesAfrica was to be a new market for goods produced by the factories

Promise of mineral wealth: wish to gain and prevent other Europeans from gaining

Stability viewed as necessary for European trade

Political: Rise of nationalism in

Europe, colonies seen as mark of national pride

and prestige

France eager to restore prestige after loss in Franco-Prussian War

1870-71

Practical: New medicines lowered death rate of Europeans;

New guns made conquest possible

Ideological:European doctrine of

innate superiority

European duty to dominate

European rule viewed as privilege

Social Darwinism

European cooperation

Berlin Conference 1884-5 and others:

Europeans divided Africa among themselves

Division reflected power balance among Europeans, no relation to situation in

Africa

Prevented Africans from playing off one European

power against another

Relative Ease of African conquest

European guns superior; by 1885 banned importation of

guns and ammunition

Standing armies rare

States had dynastic rivalries, subject people revolted

Almost total absence of solidarity among African

groups

African colonialism

Period of establishment

1885-1915

Period of active development

1915-1945

Period of retreat 1945-1955

British colonies

The Dual Mandate in Tropical Africa

Govern in interests of both colonizers and

colonized

Colonies should be self-supporting

Colonies should allow expansion of British trade

British colonial rule

Indirect rule:Use of African chiefs and

political forms as modified by British

African leaders put in difficult middle position

Led to fossilization and undemocratic systems but retained some of tradition

French colonies

Goal of Assimilation:Educated could become Black

Frenchmen

Direct rule:Assumed African

institutions unacceptable

Control by French except on local level

Ratio of foreign rulers 1930s

Nigeria1315 British—20

million Nigerians

French West Africa3660 French—15 million Africans

French Equatorial Africa

887 French—3.2 million Africans

Education

British: Government didn’t

provide many schools but allowed

missionaries to open schools.

French:Held out goal of assimilation but provided little

education, controlled size of elite

Imperialism in Latin America and Asia

Two Types of European Imperialism

The first transplants European people to overseas locations.

The second attempts to dominate and manipulate the

economies of other peoples for European

profit.

Asian Response

Southeast Asia responded mostly

passively.

Ottoman Turkey tentatively and

uncertainly; China defensively and

reluctantly; Mughul India with confusion;

Japan proactively.

JapanThe arrival of

Westerners set in motion a revolt against the old

order.

Out of fear of becoming like the exploited Chinese, rapidly established a unified national state that came to match European

imperialists.

Asian Societies

None of these societies was weak in

the broad sense.

The people were tough and hard-working and had durable cultural

institutions.

Cultural Roots

Each society retained its cultural roots in the face of the West’s superior

strengths.

-military-industrial-scientific

Asian Weakness

The weakness lay in having a durable traditional culture

badly out of step with the twentieth century.

India and Southeast Asia leadership was disunited.

China was bogged down in

self-satisfied orthodoxy.

Japan was divided and uncertain.

Economic Difficulties

All these countries were undergoing economic

difficulties that reduced public faith in the

leadership.

The country that changed its leadership fastest was first off the mark into the

modern world.

That was Japan.