Imperialism's Legacy

By Cedric He

Prior to the mid-1800s, the continent of Africa was divided into hundreds of ethnic and linguistic groups, and amidst these groups many empires existed. However, up to this point Africa was virtually unknown to the outside world, and European control was largely insubstantial due to the fact that the Industrial Revolution had yet to occur; there was no steam power to navigate the harsh rapids of the Niger and Congo rivers, there were no inexpensive weapons like the Maxim Gun to conquer local natives, and there were no vaccines such as the quinine vaccine to counter deadly malaria. As a result, by 1850, Europeans had only covered about 10% of Africa, most of which involved coastal areas. But as the Industrial Revolution came into play, European nations saw greater value in imperializing lands in Asia and Africa than ever before. Otherwise known as a policy of extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military force, imperialism led European nations to voraciously conquer Afro-Asian lands, and brutally manipulate their peoples into extracting resources for them. For the most part, Europeans colonized the continent of Africa simply because they could, but above all, there were three key components that motivated imperialism. The first was for economic benefit, which came out of a newfound need for raw materials and new markets. The second was an ideological justification, or the belief that the white man had some sort of duty to civilize and assimilate “inferior” peoples. The final motivation was nationalism, as colonies represented a country’s power and ability, even abroad. 

The first motivation for Europeans to colonize Africa was for economic benefit. With the Industrial Revolution came a desperate need for raw materials and new markets. Consequently, as seen in the illustration Caricature of the Congress of Berlin, over fourteen different countries gathered together in 1884 to carve up Africa, as though its contents were tantamount to cake (Document 1). They allotted African land and peoples into pieces without any regard for the natives that already lived there, showing, utterly and unquestionably, the fact that they viewed Africa as little more than an occasion for pure profit. Secondly, in referencing world and colonial policy, the Resolution of the German Social Democratic Party Congress states that “It corresponds first and foremost to the greedy desire of the bourgeoisie for new opportunities to invest its ever-increasing capital” and “to the desire for new markets which each country tries to usurp to itself” (Document 8). The German Congress is exemplifying the fact that the primary motive for colonization is a desire to ascertain new markets, in which the upper class can continuously invest their “ever-increasing capital”. This is particularly important to note because this anti-imperialist resolution is arguing that imperialism does not benefit the country; rather, despite the fact that the cost of imperialism is paid for by the average person, the benefits are going solely to the rich. Lastly, many European countries imperialized for the purpose of extracting natural resources. Indeed, as demand for bicycle and automobile tires grew throughout the 19th century, rubber became extremely important. So important, in fact, that King Leopold II of Belgium exploited the colony of Congo by using it as a rubber “factory”; in these “factories”, natives were forced to work in appalling conditions where they endured a constant stream of violence, death, disease, and starvation. By the time it was over, ten million native Congolese had lost their lives (ABC-CLIO). To make matters worse, King Leopold hid the entire time behind a shield of humanitarian assistance; he ensured that his reputation was intact, while simultaneously telling his soldiers to obtain the Congo’s rubber at any cost - including, no doubt, murder, torture, and rape. 

The second motivation behind imperialism was ideological justification, or the core values and subtle misunderstandings that the Europeans held in viewing poorer countries in Asia and Africa. In his Confessions of Faith, Cecil Rhodes, one of the primary arhitects of apartheid, declares that his race is “the finest in the world”, and that the more of the world they inhabit, “the better it is for the world”. He concludes his letter by inciting that it is his race’s “duty to seize every opportunity of acquiring more territory” (Document 5). In effect, Rhodes is not only asserting white supremacy, but he is also using it as an excuse to further manipulate and assimilate underdeveloped countries. Coupled with this idea of Social Darwinism was the concept of “survival of the fittest''. As then-British politician Archibald Philip Primrose wrote in his letter to the London Times, “the survival of the fittest is an absolute truth in the condition of the modern world” (Document 9). Reinforcing British imperialism by citing Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, Primrose is proclaiming that at the end of the day, certain countries will survive while certain countries will go “extinct”; he is saying that it is simply the way of the world, and because it is inevitable, powerful countries like Britain that withhold an abundance of advanced technology and wealth should be able to extract resources and take advantage of lesser countries that are likely to go “extinct” (ABC-CLIO).

The last and most important motive for European colonization of Africa was nationalism. As theories like Social Darwinism came into circulation, many European countries truly began to see themselves as “the finest race in the world”. As a result, they wanted the rest of the world to believe the same thing; they set about colonizing and obtaining whatever was beneficial to their worldwide prestige. In referencing England’s purchase of the Suez Canal, British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli said in his speech to the House of Commons in 1876, “I do not recommend this purchase either as a financial investment or as a commercial speculation. I have always and do now recommend [the Suez Canal] to the country as a political transaction, and one which I believe is calculated to strengthen the empire” (Document 3).  Disraeli is asserting the fact that most countries with the ability to colonize only do it for purposes of financial gain; however, he is saying that this is wholly unrealistic, and that colonization is most effective for “strengthening the empire”. Similarly, former French Senate President Jules Ferry pays tribute to France’s navy in his Speech Before the French Chamber of Deputies, saying, “a navy such as ours cannot do without safe harbors, defenses, supply centers on the high seas.. And that is why we needed Tunisia…Indochina and Madagascar” (Document 4). Ferry is justifying France’s imperialism of the aforementioned countries by stating that the navy, one of France’s biggest and most effective sources of national pride, needs these foreign harbors in order to thrive. In short, the French, and in greater context the Europeans, colonized because they believed that it would bring greater prosperity and repute to their country (ABC-CLIO). 

In conclusion, the three primary incentives for colonization in the mid-1800s were economic benefit, ideological superiority, and nationalism. Powerful European nations such as Britain, France, and Belgium took advantage of underdeveloped countries, while simultaneously hiding behind a veil of philanthropic intention. Not only were their actions immoral and unjustified, but they led a number of Afro-Asian countries to become significantly weaker, both politically and economically.  Furthermore, the impact of imperialism in the 20th and 21st centuries can still be seen in the fact that formerly colonized countries like the Belgian Congo exist in extreme poverty; the Congo Republic of today has a population of up to 60 million people who live on less than $1.90 per day (The World Bank). The cause of such disastrous living conditions lies undoubtedly in imperialism, which stripped the Congo and similar nations of their natural resources, and rendered disunion between their governments and their peoples. As citizens of a country that still engages in colonial activities today, Americans ought to realize the harmful and corrupt motivations behind colonization that remain hidden from the greater part of the public. 

Works Cited

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Lange, Stephen J. "Social Darwinism." World History: The Modern Era, ABC-CLIO, 2022, https://worldhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/311107?terms=social%20darwinism&webSiteCode=SLN_HMOD&sTypeId=2. Accessed 24 Jan. 2022.

Watts, Tim J. "French Navy: North American Colonial Wars." World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society, ABC-CLIO, 2022, https://worldatwar.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/757301?terms=france%27s+navy&sTypeId=2. Accessed 24 Jan. 2022.

"The World Bank in DRC" The World Bank, 2022, https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/drc/overview#1. Accessed 30 Jan. 2022.