2.3 Motives for Imperialism

Motives for Imperialism: God, Gold, and Glory

Three major factors motivated the drive for imperial power:

• political

• economic

• social responsibility

Political Motives

Throughout this time of expansion, European nations were competing for power and prestige. National pride in European nations grew as people began to think of themselves as citizens of a country. It became a source of national pride and prestige to have and hold large colonies. Military strategy included consideration for colonial war as an extension of the confrontations in Europe between expanding nations. For example, New France (Canada) and the Thirteen Colonies (United States) would be a constant battleground between the two competing nations of France and Great Britain.

Complete the political motives section of Assignment 2.3: Forms and Motives of Imperialism.

Economic Motives

Nations were also competing for economic success. If they could control another region, then their nation would gain access to that region's natural resources, which they would access cheaply, sometimes using slave labour. Often the use of this type of labour was justified by the belief that people of other lands were somehow less developed or of little worth.

These cheap natural resources were used to fuel the growth of home industries to produce goods which were sold in the new markets of the colonies. Imperial nations gained tremendous wealth from this system of mercantilism.

Social Responsibility Motives

In some ways, the belief that people of other lands were inferior would also create the idea that there was a need to make these people's lives "better". Humanitarian and religious concerns motivated nations and individuals to pursue imperial growth. Christian missionaries were convinced that people in other lands would be better off or more "civilized" if they learned "proper" Christian beliefs.