The New Imperialism

The phrase "New Imperialism" has historically been used to describe the various competing imperialist policies of Europe and the United States at the end of the Nineteenth and beginning of the Twentieth centuries. This new imperialism was different in a number of ways from the old practices, not the least of which was the fact that it was widely recognized and criticized in its own time. There has been much debate within the field concerning what the actual causes of the new imperialist era were. Some believe that economic reasons drove the new imperialist movement. Others believe that it was the evolution of the nation state and the nationalist movement that led to countries exerting their influence in distant lands. Still others hold that cultural and religious motives were key. This paper will outline the competing theories and show that, in reality, all the various theories played a role in the new imperialism and continue to drive nations' policies to this day.

The late eighteen hundreds and early nineteen hundreds were a period of unprecedented imperialist expansion by the nation states of Europe and the United States, also known as the scramble for Africa and Asia. It was during this period that the partition of tropical Africa took place, the incorporation of the Boer Republics of South Africa into the British Empire, and the scramble for control of China and its vast markets. The United States, for its own part, issued the Monroe Doctrine forbidding Euro

Related Essays

Imperialism and Capitalism .... 2003): 133-154. Pfaff, William. "A New Imperialism? Free Markets Have Cultural Costs." Commonweal, 125, 5 (March 13, 1998): 6-8. (2319 9 )

Europe and the World .... argue, then, that the discoveries and exploits in the .... world were an .... Even in the sixteenth century, we see that imperialism and capitalism are connected: In .... (2027 8 )

Nationalism, Imperialism & WWI .... from the brink. At the same time, imperialism created a .... field of competition among the Great Powers. In particular, Germans .... (1489 6 )

Ecological Imperialism .... book Ecological Imperialism by Alfred Crosby is the concept of European illnesses and germs making a tremendous impact on the people in the .... lands settled. .... (1217 5 )

European Imperialism Late 19th Century European Imperialism. Johnson, R. (2003). British imperialism. .... York: Palgrave Macmillan. A survey treatment .... (380 2 )

Category: Economics - T