Colonialism is a policy or act of expanding a country’s power into other territories or controlling the politics or economies of another country.
Concept of Colonialism
Colonialism occurs when a state exerts its power over another state through various means of control. It describes an economic, political, and social system in which one country subjugates other countries and brings them under its control. Motivations for colonialism include economic, cultural, political, moral, and exploratory dominance.
How Colonialism Works
Colonizers often exploit the resources of the subjugated country for their own economic gain. The term “colonialism” derives from the Latin word “imperium,” which means “command.” Colonialism is often associated with imperialism, which resembles it concerning control but with the additional strategy of sending colonizing settlers to live in the colony.
Colonizers consider the economy to be a “zero-sum game,” where there is a limited amount of wealth in the world. They believe that for one individual to attain wealth, someone else must lose theirs. Colonizers also justify expansion by force through social Darwinism or the theory of “survival of the fittest.”
The typical aim of imperialism is to acquire as many resources as possible, often through their exploitation and forceful expansion. This means that as an economic system, colonialism operates “for the benefit of” the countries that attempt to justify the invasion or enslavement of others. For the countries that are dominated, the system has generally led to the extraction of financial, mineral, and cultural wealth.
Examples of Colonialism
The 19th century was the “golden age” of imperialism, when European countries possessed empires covering a significant portion of the world. During this period, Germany, Austria, France, Russia, and Britain relied on colonialism to build their wealth.
European countries seized about 9 million square miles of land in Africa and Asia between 1870 and 1900, nearly one-fifth of the world’s land. Around 150 million people were subjected to colonialism during that time.
The scope of these empires was enormous. The Austro-Hungarian Empire included countries in Southeast Europe adjacent to Russia. The German Empire encompassed former French territories in Alsace and Lorraine, and both Germany and Italy included countries in Africa. The Russian Empire covered most of Eastern Europe, including Serbia. The British Empire – the largest empire in the world at that time – included countries in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The French Empire covered Vietnam and most of North Africa.
Colonialism occurred outside of this context as well. Although the United States does not often consider itself a colonial power, some historians draw this comparison. The Monroe Doctrine, issued in 1823, asserted that the United States would defend the Americas against European colonialism, for example, and laid the groundwork for ongoing American intervention in the Western Hemisphere.
The United States fought a war with Spain to end the Spanish colonial empire in the Western Hemisphere. In 1898, Spain relinquished its claim to Cuba, and the United States took rights to Guam and Puerto Rico. The United States defeated Philippine nationalists a few years later and claimed the Philippines. American expansion in the Philippines and Puerto Rico was not characterized as colonialism.
Colonialism vs. Imperialism
Many use the terms “colonialism” and “imperialism” interchangeably, but they are not the same.
Colonialism means control by one power over a dependent area or people, often involving the settlement of settlers in a foreign country. The settlers intend to live in the controlled country permanently, but they maintain loyalty to their original country.
Europeans expanded their empires in Africa without a full intent to colonize it in the late 19th century, although colonialism still had a devastating impact on Africa.
It allows
Colonialism is the practice of one state exercising power over another state through various means of control. Colonialism can occur without settlement if the invading state does not send colonizers.
Colonialism vs. Mercantilism
Colonialism Mercantilism
Mercantilism is an economic theory that advocates for government regulation of international trade to enrich the nation and enhance national power. Merchants and the government work together to reduce trade deficits and create surpluses. It is similar to colonialism, but not exactly the same.
With mercantilism, the government aims to promote merchants. The government creates monopolies, grants tax exemptions to companies, provides subsidies to favored industries, and imposes tariffs on imports. International companies channel wealth from foreign expansion back to their governments. Local businesses pay taxes for continued national growth and increased political power.
Colonialism vs. Capitalism
Some people argue that colonialism is a product of capitalism. J. A. Hobson, an English historian, wrote that capitalist societies produce too much for their own economies to absorb, thus resorting to colonialism to “absorb” this surplus production.
Similarly, the Russian communist philosopher Vladimir Lenin stated that colonialism was a form of the late stage of capitalism. He argued that capitalism led to the formation of powerful monopolies that had to expand their empires by seizing colonies and creating dependencies to serve as markets and outlets for investment as well as sources of food and raw materials.
Others argue that capitalism alone does not always lead to colonialism. Several non-capitalist countries engaged in colonialism. Communist China annexed Tibet in 1951 to develop its resources and sent Chinese volunteers to colonize it. China has also invested billions of dollars to extract resources in African countries, benefiting from natural resources in “partnership” without developing local communities.
Examples of Colonialism
An example of colonialism is the French control of Vietnam from the mid-19th century until the end of the 19th century. Other examples of colonialism include British control over several countries in the early 20th century, including India, Australia, and many countries in Africa.
Countries that Practiced Colonialism
Countries that practiced colonialism include Britain, France, Germany, Spain, and the United States. Competition among European nations to claim parts of Africa and Asia was among the driving forces behind World War I.
Colonialism is understood outside of this context, however. While the United States does not often consider itself a colonial power, some historians have drawn this comparison. The Monroe Doctrine issued in 1823 asserted that the United States would defend the Americas against European colonialism, for example, laying the groundwork for ongoing U.S. intervention in the Western Hemisphere.
The United States fought a war with Spain to end the Spanish colonial empire in the Western Hemisphere. In 1898, Spain relinquished its claim to Cuba, and the United States took control of Guam and Puerto Rico. The United States defeated Filipino nationalists a few years later and claimed the Philippines. The American expansion into the Philippines and Puerto Rico did not involve colonialism.
Source: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/imperialism-definition-and-impacts-on-us-history-4773797
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