The motives for late 19th century
imperialism were economic, political,
paternalistic, and racist.
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New Imperialism
J. A. Hobson
Joseph Chamberlain
Suez Canal
Boers Wars
Sepoy Mutiny
jingoism
Alfred T. Mahan
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Cecil Rhodes
David Livingstone
Henry Stanley
Boxer Rebellion
Open Door Policy
gunboat diplomacy
Opium Wars
Congress of Berlin
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Economic
 Access to markets, raw materials and profits
from investments in developing infrastructure
 Reduce prices of goods and provide employment
and economic benefits for workers
Political
 Nationalists argued that imperialism was
necessary for the prestige of their country and for
strategic ports
 Social Darwinist believed that the European
states were engaged in a fierce struggle for
survival and that colonies were important for
victory
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Paternalistic
 Some argued that it was a moral obligation for
Europeans to spread the benefits of Western
civilization – medicine, education, democracy,
science, and technology to the backwards world
 Christian missionaries believed they were saving
souls
Racist argued that imperialism was justified
because of the inferiority of the African and Asian
races.
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Critics said that imperialism was detrimental in
that the taxpayers had to pay for the imperial
armies and navies
Critics, such as Hobson, argued that only the
cash-rich capitalist who needed places to invest
their surplus capital benefited from
imperialism
Critics argued that imperialist competition
might lead to unnecessary wars
Critics also asserted that imperialism was a
way for the ruling elite to avoid discussing of
domestic problems
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Critics argued that such imposition of Western
culture was destructive of native cultures,
religions, and languages and presumed a
superiority that was not always valid
Critics opposed both Social Darwinism and racism
as lacking any scientific basis and said that they
were simply justifying white domination