unit ii: modern imperialism

Unit II: Modern Imperialism

-“The World Revolution of Westernization - “New Imperialism”

-Motives – Push and Pull Factors -The “White Man’s Burden”

scientific racism

Case Studies -Imperialism and China -Imperialism and India -Imperialism and Africa/Middle East -U.S. and Japan: “new” imperial

powers -Anti-colonial nationalism

Defining “imperialism”

Imperialism is “the extension of political rule by one people over other, different peoples, often by conquest.” Howard Spodek

“The New Imperialism” refers to the domination of European powers—and later the United States and Japan—over subject lands in the larger world in the last half of the 19th century.” TE

Ideology (which ones most important?)

+Industrialism (which technologies most important?)

= The New Imperialism

“The World Revolution of Westernization”

“a central force in the 20th century”RGH #18, p. 77

Question – See RGH, p. 104

“Who, for that matter, was morally entitled to reshape the world in their own image?”

“Trading post empires” c. 1700

Old Imperialism

New Imperialism - Asia by 1914….

The Atlantic World

Africaby 1914

“Before the Scramble”-1878

Oceania by 1914Imperialism and the World 1914

Percentage of world controlled by colonial empiresc. 1914

Independent29.8

Japanese0.4

Spanish1

Ottoman1.5

French7.7

Chinese6

Russian15

U.S.7.6

Britain21.5

84%

Others:Portuguese 1%Dutch 1.4%German 1.6%Italian 1.8%Belgian 1.6%

What made modern imperialism “modern” or “new”? Motives – Push and Pull

Factors

Tools – “economy empires” (RGH #27old)

Justifications – “White Man’s Burden” (RGH# 20, p. 85)

Motives for modern imperialism“Push Factors” Economic: The importance of

securing raw materials for industrialization and markets

Political: Nationalism - Continuing competition among European powers

Strategic: Control of sea lanes

Rubber trees, Africa

“Pull Factors”

Political Instability “Backward and offensive customs” Economic restrictions Collaboration with indigenous peoples Adventure – “It’s a guy thing” (See RGH #20)

Tools of modern imperialism

Superior weaponry

Superior means of transportation and communication

Control of world’s oceans

“economy empires”

Suez Canal

“Black Ships”in Japan

Justifications for modern imperialism

The “civilizing mission”

The “white man’s burden”

Scientific racism

Scientific racism / Social Darwinism

Social Darwinism was the application of Darwin’s ideas to human societies

Herbert Spencer: There are stronger and weaker races and the stronger dominate the weaker

The use of “science” to rationalize imperial domination

The “White Man’s Burden”

Rudyard Kipling

RGH #20

What words are used to describe the colonizers?

What words are used to describe the colonized?

“The first step towards lighteningThe White Man’s Burden is throughTeaching the virtues of cleanliness.

“Pear’s Soap is a potent factor inbrightening the dark corners of theearth as civilization advances whileamongst the cultured of all nationsit holds the highest place—it is theideal toilet soap.”

New Imperialism - Four Points1. An “orgy” of overseas conquests (84% of the

world occupied by colonial power) – See chart in RGH, p. 83.

2. Rise of nationalism colonies as “status symbols” new countries find “their place in the sun”-

Germany, Italy, Japan, US increased political competition and militarization economic competition as imperialism spreads “get it while you can and keep others out”

New Imperialism – Four Points

3. Remaking the World Order – World Revolution of Westernization

new global division of labor subsistence to commercial agriculture local people drawn into global network self-sufficiency to interdependence western economic dominance north-south reversal

New Imperialism

New Imperialism – Four Points

4. Change of Attitudes –

admiration of other cultures to contempt cultural superiority (see RGH #21) racism “White Man’s Burden”

The United States: New Imperial Power?

When did U.S empire start?

Westward expansion and “manifest destiny”?

The Monroe Doctrine? [1823]

Expansion beyond the continent?

1867: Alaska 1875: Hawaii 1899: Philippines,

Guam, PR, Cuba

The Monroe Doctrine1823 A warning to European

powers to stay out of the Western Hemisphere

Became the justification for interventions in Central and South America

The Americas in the Age of Independence: Key Points

Manifest Destiny: Territorial Expansion and Empire Conflicts with Indigenous Peoples Constitutional Issues in N.Am.-Civil War, states

rights Constitutional Issues in Latin Am: how to govern,

the caudillos Economic Development in N. America:

industrialism, immigration Economic colonialism and dependency in Latin

America.

Westward expansion of the United States during the nineteenth century

Latin America in the nineteenth century

1895-1941

“Greater America”

“An American Lake”

The Spanish-American War1898-99 U.S. supported anti-colonial

efforts against Spain in PR and Cuba

1898 Maine exploded in Havana harbor

U.S. defeated Spain and took control of PR, Cuba, Philippines, Guam

Teddy Roosevelt during theSpanish-American War