THE NEW COLONIALISM IN AFRICA AND ASIA (19TH CENTURY) - HISTORY - 2024

The new colonialism in Africa and Asia began in the last decades of the 19th century, when European nations established vast empires on these continents. For almost half a century (1870-1914), the Western European states expanded their imperial possessions around the world.

Later, the United States and Japan joined in this aggressive policy of expansion, carving up Africa and claiming parts of Asia. Now, European expansion did not begin in 1870; By the end of the 15th century, Spain and Portugal had established colonies in the New World.

Africa, 1939.

Furthermore, Russia's domination over Siberia in North Asia dates back to the 17th century. However, during the period of the new colonialism in Africa and Asia, European domination of the world reached its highest point. At this time rival European powers competed to secure colonies.

By extension, they exploited the labor and natural resources within those colonies. Britain was the leading power in that imperial push: in 1914 it was the largest empire the world has ever known.

Causes of collination in Africa and Asia

At the beginning of the 19th century the European colonialist impulse had almost died out. In some respects, colonizing proved to be an unpleasant task: protecting, governing, and maintaining colonies was costly.

Colonial rivalries often led to wars between the European powers. These wars sometimes resulted in the loss of their colonies, and from time to time the colonial subjects rebelled.

But in 1870 the flame was lit for a new colonialism in Asia and Africa. Until the outbreak of World War I in 1914, various European powers participated in a race to establish vast colonial systems abroad.

The main powers were Great Britain, France and Germany, although Belgium, Portugal, the Netherlands and Italy also claimed their share of power. The reasons for the new colonialism in Africa and Asia are described below:

Economical

At the end of the 19th century, the great powers of Europe were promoting their industrialization. To this extent, they developed a need for larger markets abroad.

Traders and bankers had an excess of capital to invest. In this sense, foreign investments offered the incentive of higher profits despite the risks.

On the other hand, the greater the industrial production, the greater the need for raw materials and cheap labor. Until then, unexplored areas could supply oil, rubber, and manganese for steel, as well as other materials.

In this way, these economic reasons gave rise to the new colonialism in Africa and Asia. The European powers believed that only by establishing strictly controlled colonies could this industrial economy function.

Policies

Nationalism led each country to demonstrate its greatness by controlling as many colonies as possible. The main European nations considered that the new colonialism in Africa and Asia would help them in their consolidation as a power.

In addition, to achieve this purpose, powerful armed forces were needed to protect their strategic interests; therefore, military bases were required around the world.

The colonies provided safe ports for merchants as well as warships. Similarly, military bases could be converted into coal fueling stations in times of war.

Cultural

Many Westerners had Eurocentric prejudices: they thought that their race was superior to that of non-European people. According to their conception, they were the fittest people and, therefore, they were destined to rule over the least fit; the civilization of the uncivilized was a moral obligation.

Thus, the new colonialism in Africa and Asia would bring them only benefits. Its inhabitants were to receive the blessings of Western civilization, which included medicine and law.

Likewise, colonization would allow the evangelization of non-Christians. In this sense, the missionaries were enthusiastic supporters of this process; they believed that European control would help them spread Christianity, the true religion.

Technological

European industrialized countries had superior technology. For example, the combination of the steamboat and the telegraph allowed them to increase their mobility and respond quickly to any threatening situation.

The machine gun also gave them a military advantage. This was very helpful in convincing Africans and Asians to accept Western control.

Scientific justification

Europeans found a justification for the new colonialism in Africa and Asia in Darwinian theory. Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species in 1859.

In his work he affirmed that present life was the product of an evolution of millions of years. He also presented the theory of natural selection: natural forces selected those with physical features best adapted to their environment.

Then the survival of the fittest thesis began to be applied to human nations and societies. This fostered the idea that conquering inferior people was nature's way of improving mankind. Therefore, it was just and represented a natural law.

On the other hand, the advances of science in the 19th century had aroused the interest of the public. Many people bought scientific books and magazines, attended conferences, and visited museums, zoos, and botanical gardens. In this context, imperialism was conceived as a way to achieve knowledge.

Thus, European explorers and scientists had to illuminate the "dark continent" by making it the object of knowledge. These became the "knowers," and the native peoples, animals, and plants of their empires were "the known."

Consequences

The new colonialism in Africa and Asia brought positive and negative consequences:

- A global economy was established.

- The transfer of goods, money and technology was regulated to guarantee a continuous flow of natural resources and cheap labor for the industrialized world.

- Native cultures were destroyed. Many of their traditions and customs were re-evaluated in light of Western ways.

- Imported products annihilated the artisan industries of the colonies.

- The possibilities of industrial development of the colonized territories were limited.

- As the new colonies were too poor to spend money on European goods, the economic gains of the new imperialism were not what was expected.

- There was confrontation between cultures.

- Modern medicine was introduced in the colonies and the use of vaccines was promoted.

- Better sanitary hygiene helped save lives and increase life expectancy in colonized regions.

- Many traditional political units were destabilized, uniting rival peoples under single governments. This brought many ethnic conflicts in the colonies.

- Tensions between the powers contributed to the hostile conditions that led to the First World War in 1914.

Articles of interest

Decolonization in Asia.

References

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