10.1 Meaning

Charles A. Beard defines imperialism as an "employment of the engines of government and diplomacy to acquire territories, protectorates, and/or spheres of influence occupied usually by other races or peoples and to promote industrial trade and investment opportunities.

Political and economic domination is also involved in modern imperialism.

Political imperialism refers to building of an empire under a powerful empire through conquest of other countries by military force. Thus a country, which is militarily, politically and economically powerful, conquers a less powerful, weaker country. This annexes the weaker one and makes it a colony. Political control is then established upon her colony by the mother country, which attempts to impose her political ideologies and institution upon it. An outstanding example of this kind of imperialism is of British imperialism in India.

The Industrial Revolution led to economic imperialism or ’neo-imperialism.’ In this case, the industrially advanced countries economically exploit the regions that were rich in raw materials. These regions are also used as markets for their finished products and for investment of surplus capital. This kind of economic imperialism was imposed by England, France, Italy, Germany, and the U.S.A. upon China. Though China was politically independent and sovereign under the Manchu rule, it was economically dominated by these European and American countries.

However, in the modern period, political and economic imperialism exists together.

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Index

10.0 - Introduction
10.1 Meaning
10.2 Causes
10.3 Forms and Techniques of Imperialism
10.4 Imperialism in Africa
10.5 Imperialism in Asia
10.6 Significance and Consequences of Imperialism
10.7 Points to Remember

Chapter 11