Imperialism: A History Defined

When a man by its owned nature act for his owned survival,idealism and nationalism can be a mask, he will act for his owned benefits that can be affect other people. In 1900, Queen Victoria rules almost half of the world’s population and territories were the key to it is imperialism.

After the dawn of Industrial revolution, where Spain is almost deteriorating and Napoleonic War was ended, Great Britain, followed by France and other European countries explored Africa and open its people to the world as their dominion. Nevertheless, the Imperial power justify by elite so called “civilizing mission” for its only part of hypocrisy. The truth is that the exceeding market of the Industrial European nation has no choice but to grabbed Africa as supplier for raw materials badly needed for trade.

Professor Burton defines imperialism into three: colony, sphere of influence and protectorate. With the latter, all of it has pessimistic and optimistic effect in History. Good, because the rich and beautiful countries of Africa open to the world’s eye and un explored wealth giving us raw materials needed in this expanding European economy. Ideas such us nationalism and Christianity spread that gives contribution to increase literacy rate in world population. Technology advance through great demands of changing political sphere. Cultivation of new race was important, giving birth to equality and lesser discrimination to black and white people. But we cannot close our eyes to the negative effect of Imperialism. African culture slowly transformed into European liberal attitude that bought confusion of the Safari and humid dessert. War such as Boer (1899), World War (1914), Opium (1880) Sino-Japanese (1900) and Spanish American War lead to famine and emergence of European military strength and will to govern each African race. The ideas of Social Darwinism were in each mind.

What good in emergence of this problem during the age of Imperialism the demand for reforms- and answer to the social problem. Labor Union was established to protect the workers’ rights, medicine and advance medical studies improved to sustained population as the growing factories demand. Ideas such as lazier-fare bought Africans not to openly give everything to Europe. Democracy demand self rule such as Canada and Australia. Germany and Italy built and empire to built cartel of raw materials. Panama and Suez Canal open for trade. What we can say is that history must see first before we can view imperialism for the definition is may define in the events and years.