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Imperialist countries had control over other country so that they can take as many of the other weaker country resources such as oils, forest products of the weaker country. The imperialist countries take over the country by using military or money.
In the late 19th century the imperialism age came in the world which mostly Africa and then the areas of various Asia was targeted as well for colonization. This two concept are totally different as colonization came earlier and imperialism after it.
Expansion of European state into Africa and Asia that created was geographical and economic empires which gave birth to the new imperialism that characterized the era in around 1870 to 1914.
There were several reasons for European expansion such as economic growth. Africa and Asia gave European access to their raw materials including tea rubber etc as well as these nations provide Europeans with readymade markets for manufacturing goods in their factories.
Nationalism also became the driving force for imperial growth by expanding their European states into other countries is and satisfying the nationalist thirst for land and power.
This nationalism supported the expansion of imperialism by several ways such as submerged class conflict among Asia and Africa. The nationalist desire for expansion soon escalated an increase in competitive environment.
Slowly the European states saw the expansion of imperialism in Africa and Asia as a way to demonstrate their superiority to their adversaries without having to directly confront them in the battlefield.
Imperialism expanded in Africa from 1880s till the 1913s. Missionary motivation was another reason for expansion of imperialism by European states.
Advantages of Imperialism:
The most salient was the improvement in sanitation especially in cities and adoption of better agricultural techniques for productivity as well as better communication in infrastructure by the construction of telegraph lines and the railways including the unfinished Cape to Cairo railroad.
It was a project to unite the northern and the southern possession of the British Empire in Africa. It was a scheme by Cecil Rhodes.
Disadvantages of Imperialism:
Asia and Africa which was controlled by Europeans quickly put an end to native production and finished goods ensure that the European merchandise could be sold in colonies.
Several local crops were replaced by the crops needed in Europe such as tobacco or opium. Which raised prices of foods for the local population where in the foodstuffs had to be imported at higher prices in addition, the wages were depend upon the ethnicity.
Finally European colonization led to destruction of native social and cultural system as the European imposed tried to their culture.
Reaction towards Imperialist Subjugation:
In Africa most resistance to colonization was put down immediately with brute military force. In the case of Asian nation the story was different and in 3 phases.
Chinese ancient Empire spanning many centuries resisted European intrusion in traditional ways through series of wars. All of which was lost, in the end china forced to accept the European domination and the Western exploitation including the sale of opium.
On the other hand Japan acted in other way through modernization and directly competing with Europeans for imperial possession which is known as the Meiji restoration. Emperor Meiji moved from Kyoto to Tokyo in 1868. By the early 20th century Japan has became the major imperial power in Asia.
Finally India resisted British rule through the development of anti imperialism, nationalist, non-violence resistance movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi understood the European especially the British would always wield superior firearms at the same time the country started to Boycott British manufactured goods. This made the colonial economic lowering profits and making it increasingly expensive to maintain imperial control over India.
In 1947 India became the first European colony to gain independence just after the World War II. Finally the imperialism could not fulfill the expectation of European nation as 19 century came to an end. Therefore it led to failure of imperialism due to several reasons.
Failure of Imperialism:
There was no stable relation between the great European powers rather than minimizing the competition among the European powers. Controlling the new imperial powers required more expenses more number of troops in order to rule and administrate.
As well as the so called Civilized myth did not succeed by the European nation. The new imperialism in the 19th century brought the world closer. Imperialism was an era of building global empire which failed but today imperialism also exists in some parts of world.
Written by: Rakhi Sharma
Edited by: Gourav Chowdhury
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