UNIT 4: POST-IMPERALISM
STUDENT WILL BE ABLE TO…
 Understand some of the lasting impacts of colonialism.
LONG-TERM ASPECTS OF IMPERIALISM
(TRUST ME, WE’LL TALK ABOUT THIS A LOT MORE…JUST NOT NOW)
 Part of the reading in Fouberg deals with Wallerstein’s world system
theory (Tuesday-Thursday). We will actually re-visit this in another unit,
but since we just watched the video…
 Imperialism was based on an economic system called “capitalism.” It’s kind
of like mercantilism, but instead of their being a fixed amount of money in
the world, it realizes that wealth can be multiplied.
 Capitalism emphasizes trade on a world scale.
 Many of the African countries were forced to trade on a world scale, in order
to be competitive in that process you need money.
 Remember, land and skills associated with growing food to eat were forced out
of population.
 You get money from investors, if you’re a poor country, you get them from
outside investors like countries or businesses; so they essential own parts of
the country, even though they aren’t from country.
…THIS IS THE REALLY SHORT VERSION…
(TRUST ME, AGAIN… WE’LL TALK ABOUT THIS A LOT MORE…JUST NOT NOW…MUST
KEEP MOVING….)
 The money from elsewhere goes into making “capital” or something that
makes more money.
 When imperialism ended, a lot of countries didn’t have money or
infrastructure (helps make more money)
 Infrastructure is how you get around; phones and roads and railroads, which
help make MORE money.
 Remember, this was intentional on the part of the colonizers
 So, the people/countries/companies with money (because they took all
the materials and goods from the colonies) have been able to say…we’ll
give you money…BUT….they keep a lot of it for themselves, so the
former colonies don’t really make much money.
…JUST ONE MORE SLIDE ABOUT THIS…
 These concepts from imperialism and colonialism create an issue of global
inequalities.
 One theorist Emmanuel Wallerstein made something called World System’s
theory  we’re not going to test on him this unit.
 Wallerstein provides a macro view of inequality (world wide)
 Says that countries can’t get out of being poor b/c these resources were taken and
are continual taken and the advantages gained while empires help to keep giving
advantages.
 The world is divided in three “tiers” of wealth and power for a country:
 Core: Higher education/higher salaries (Wealthiest. Example: U.S.)
 Periphery: Lower Levels of education, lower salaries and less technology (Poorest.
Example: Chad)
 Semi-periphery: place where core and periphery processes are both occurring
 (Not rich, not exactly poor. Example: India and Mexico) .
OTHER LEGACIES OF IMPERIALISM
 European powers pushed the idea that people owed allegiance to a
state and the people it represents, rather than to its leader, such as a
king.
 The process of promoting state cohesion emerges and uses centripetal
forces.
 Centripetal Forces: Practices that unify and bring together.
 Nationalism: “identification with the state and the acceptance of national
goals”
 One of the strongest centripetal forces
 Creates a sense of “us-ness” (remember, us-ness, needs a “them”)
 Based on concept of allegiance to a single country and the ideas it represents
 It’s actually really hard to achieve, it’s kind of like an artificial nation.
CENTRIPETAL FORCES
 Centripetal Forces: (if you forgot from last slide) bind people together,
enable it to function and give it strength.
 Allegiance to the state attempts to overcome affiliation with religion,
languages, etc.
 Ways of achieving this loyalty include “icons” like the flag or symbols.
 How do you know someone is patriotic and loves America? They have a flag
somewhere, or everywhere. Or on the lapel or jacket.
 What says liberty without saying “liberty?” The Statute of Liberty. She also says
freedom and power and America.
 Unifying institutions: Schools, armed forces, and churches.
 We actually teach you a lot of things about being a good U.S. citizen at school.
 You’re also exposed to icons and explained what symbols mean and how you should
react. Think the Pledge of Alliance every morning.