The New Imperialism


Towards the end of the 1800s, roughly the years from 1875 until 1914 when the First World War began, a new form of imperialism began to emerge. Some people call this era the first era of globalization because international trade increased enormously at that time. Economic growth for the countries in Europe and North America reached new heights. Others call this era the New Imperialism because it took the form of direct government policy aimed at increasing the power and wealth of nations.

Technology Connects the World

Just as early imperialism was spurred by the technological advancements in transportation and communication during the Industrial Revolution, technology also played a large role in the new imperialism.

The first transatlantic cable, a Canadian concept, was laid from Newfoundland to Ireland. It became fully functional in 1866 and allowed people to transmit messages from North America to Europe in a matter of minutes. Before the advent of the cable, conveying messages from North America to Europe took days by ship. Communication made foreign investment easier, and soon direct foreign investment from Europe and North American went into obtaining resources from Africa, Latin America, and Asia.

Ocean-going steamships also became reliable transportation, facilitating the shipping of goods.

Empire for Empire's Sake

This period of history saw an unprecedented pursuit of empire for empire's sake in the form of aggressive competition for overseas territory. It included the idea of racial superiority and denied colonized nations the right to rule themselves. This form of imperialism was the official policy of governments from Europe to Japan. It was aimed at increasing their global power and wealth through exploitation of natural resources and labour.

While the imperialism of the 1600s and 1700s had focused on settling sparsely populated areas, such as North America and Australia, the New Imperialism focused on areas that were already settled by non-Europeans and used European wealth to invest in mines, factories, transportation, and plantations.

Motives for the New Imperialism


Nationalism
In most nations of the world at this time nationalism was growing. People believed their nations were superior to others and wanted to see their countries become more powerful.
Diplomacy
Nations could use their colonies to secure power, and native troops could be called upon in war.
Technology
The Industrial Revolution improved transportation and communication technology, which made the world a smaller place. Communication improved with the telegraph and the telephone. Goods were transported easily and remote lands were much more accessible. New discoveries in medicine meant doctors could treat tropical diseases effectively. Improved weapons made subduing native uprisings easier.
Profits
Tea, spices, cocoa, and bananas could not be produced in Europe, but businessmen could make profits from their sale. Cheap labor in foreign factories was a source of desired profit. Laborers, often former slaves, worked cheaply on cotton, sugarcane, and tobacco plantations that were a great source of wealth.
Mission Civilisatrice
European nations had a Eurocentric belief that they had a mission to civilize the world because of Social Darwinism, the French concept of mission civilisatrice, Christian missionary zeal, and the white man's burden.