Abstract
Imperialism entails an expansion of a country’s power and political influence mainly through colonization and the application of military force (Duiker, & Spielvogel, 2011). Industrialization in the European continent forced various powers to seek colonies abroad to provide markets, raw materials, and cheap labor. In this paper, the impacts of imperialism on Africa, Latin America, and India are discussed.
Main
European powers, including Britain and France, committed their time and resources to inhabit the insecure African land. The industrial revolution in Europe forced powerful states in the continent to acquire colonies in Africa with the aim of securing raw materials and cheap human labor. Imperialism had various political and economic effects in Africa (Louis, 2006). Politically, the western powers established stabilized administration units that are relied upon in managing civil affairs in the continent.
The continent was introduced to political concepts touching on the constitution and democracy. Since citizens were anxious to live comfortable lives, the need for nationalism arose, leading to the widespread wars witnessed in the continent on a daily basis. In the economic front, the continent received new forms of technologies that have been critical in propelling industrialization.
Unfortunately, the continent’s populace has never benefited from these technologies because they are utilized in manufacturing products that are transferred to the European and North American continents. Africans work hard in producing raw materials only to be processed and packed in oversees countries resulting in the imbalance of trade.
In Latin America, imperialism was witnessed until recently because the insufficient laborers since the imperialists had taken able men and women to their home countries to work in industries and factories hampering the region’s development. The rural society was deprived of the chance to regulate its institutions because the population left was old and inefficient in taking care of the society.
Developed countries came with new strategies of production that ended up killing the traditional factories that sustained the economies of the developing countries. The culture of the Latinos was destroyed beyond repair, given the fact a new one was not introduced, forcing the locals to acquire European cultural norms (Bell & Dello, 2007).
Industrialization in the region introduced parasitic property-owners, paltry business executives, speculators, and a class of poor slum dwellers who suffered from diseases and scarcity of food. Just as the African continent, the Latin American region ended up being a food exporting economy and a raw producing region.
In India, imperialism played a critical role in the abolishment of the redundant customs, such as infanticide and suttee. British cultures spread to various parts of the Indian subcontinent leading to enlightenment, particularly in the revivification of Indian creative writing and history.
Britain entered into various treaties with Indian neighbors to sustain their continued stay in the country, something that resulted in the huge debt that the country inherited as soon as it was declared sovereign (Chattopadhyaya, & Das, 2007). This has continued to haunt the country, as a majority of people are poor.
References
Bell, L. J., & Dello, B. R. A. (2007). Imperialism, neoliberalism and social struggles in Latin America. Leiden: Brill.
Chattopadhyaya, D. P., & Das, G. J. B. (2007). Science, technology, imperialism and war. New Delhi: Pearson Longman.
Duiker, W. J., & Spielvogel, J. J. (2011). The essential world history. London: Routledge.
Louis, W. R. (2006). Ends of British imperialism: The scramble for empire, Suez and decolonization : collected essays. London: Tauris.