Imperialism
I. Introduction to Imperialism
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The policy, practice, or advocacy of extending the
power and dominion of a nation especially by
direct territorial acquisitions or by gaining indirect
control over the political or economic life of other
areas;
The extension or imposition of power,
authority, or influence.
- Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
Imperialism is also known as colonialism of neocolonialism.
I. Introduction to Imperialism:
Causes of Imperialism
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6 major causes:
Economic
Political
Military
Cultural
Religious
Social Darwinism
I. Introduction to Imperialism:
Causes of Imperialism
1. Economic
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The need for raw materials / natural resources for
Industrialization
The need for agricultural products
The need for guaranteed markets for mass produced
goods
Cheap labor = cheaper products / cheaper food /
cheaper commodities
Examples: The British in India, the Caribbean islands,
Africa / France in Vietnam, Haiti, Africa / Spain in the
Americas & the Caribbean
I. Introduction to Imperialism:
Causes of Imperialism
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A major impetus for the “new imperialism” (1870-1914) was the
Industrial Revolution.
Industrial Revolution - The process of change from an agrarian,
handicraft economy to one dominated by industry and machine
manufacture. This process began in England in the 18th century
and from there spread to other parts of the world.
To sustain industrialization, a steady supply of raw materials such
as coal, iron, steel, nickel, bauxite, cotton, oil are necessary.
Early industrial leaders such as Great Britain, Belgium, France
created or expanded an already-existing imperial system.
A result of the Industrial Revolution was the mass production of
goods. National economies could not absorb the increased supply
of goods. Capitalists looked to expand their markets > another
reason for colonies.
I. Introduction to Imperialism:
Causes of Imperialism
2. Political
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When the dominant country imposes
its political values and system on
subordinate countries.
Example: The Soviet Union imposing
Communist government on Eastern
European states (1945-1989)
I. Introduction to Imperialism:
Causes of Imperialism
3. Military
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The United States has over 730 military bases
and installations in over 50 countries. (2003)
American forces are deployed in roughly 130
countries around the world, performing a variety
of duties from combat to peacekeeping to
training foreign militaries, according to
GlobalSecurity.org, a defense-oriented think tank.
(2007)
The “War on Terror” / protection of “American
national interests”
I. Introduction to Imperialism:
Causes of Imperialism
I. Introduction to Imperialism:
Causes of Imperialism
4. Cultural
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The use of political and economic
power to exalt and spread the values
of a foreign culture at the expense of
a native culture.
- John Tomlinson, Cultural
Imperialism
I. Introduction to Imperialism:
Cultural Imperialism
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Spain imposed its language, religion and culture throughout
the Americas and the Caribbean.
France promoted its language and culture throughout
Europe and imposed it on its colonies in Africa, Southeast
Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean.
English became the international language, surpassing
French when the British became the world’s most powerful
nation in the 18th century. Because of the superpower
status of the U.S., English continues to be the dominant
world language.
Russian language and customs were imposed on a diverse
group of people from Muslims in Central Asia and the
Caucasus to Hungarians and other Eastern Europeans.
I. Introduction to Imperialism:
Cultural Imperialism
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The United States is accused of
spreading “American values”
throughout the world through its:
-music and film industry
-news media (CNN)
-fast-food industry
(McDonald’s,Pizza Hut,
Starbucks)
- fashion industry
American Cultural Imperialism?
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On an average day in
2007, the company
serves nearly serving
52 million people in
more than 100
countries.
By the turn of the
21st century there
were more than 850
McDonald's
restaurants in France,
employing over
30,000 people.
American Cultural Imperialism?
In China (2002):
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80 McDonald's in Beijing alone
The number of Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets has
increased by 100 a year for the last 2 years, to about 600.
Shanghai and Beijing each have more than two dozen
Starbucks. Most Chinese never drank coffee until Starbucks
came to town in 1999.
"Chinese people these days have a very positive impression
of American commercial culture and popular culture." Victor Yuan, president of Horizon. “Buicks, Starbucks and
Fried Chicken. Still China?” Elisabeth Rosenthal New York
Times, February 25, 2002.
American Cultural Imperialism?
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"Calling for political independence from the U.S. is one thing, and liking
American brands is another. Of course I like IBM, Dell, Microsoft,
Starbucks, and Coke." Park Young Hoon, South Korea.
"Yemeni students were out burning the American flag, chanting 'kill the
Americans"' in early March, notes Jack Valenti, CEO of the Motion Picture
Association of America. "As soon as the theaters opened at 7 p.m., bingo,
they were all in there.“
Ahmad Tarouat, a 23-year-old Parisian salesman, may insist that he will
never ingest a Big Mac because "McDonald's stands for American
imperialism," but he seems oblivious to the origin of the Nike sneakers on
his feet or the pack of Marlboro Lights in his hands.
- Brands in an Age of Anti-Americanism, August 4, 2003.
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_31/b
3844011_mz046.htm
American Cultural Imperialism?
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According to Business Week, out of
the top 100 most valuable global
brands, 62 are from the USA,
including 8 of the top 10. (2003)
How Countries Counter
“Cultural Imperialism”
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European Union
- DIRECTIVE 89/552/EEC "TELEVISION
WITHOUT FRONTIERS" (1989)
- at least 50% of broadcast time must be devoted to
programs of European origin.
-The threat is seen to derive from English language services
and productions originating from the United States, not
England--in that only the United States is considered to
have film and television industries organized on a scale
large enough to take advantage of the single market.
How Countries Counter
“Cultural Imperialism”
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France
France has gone the farthest in
implementing the Directive.
France – battling "American cultural
imperialism.."
France currently requires that no more
than 40% of films shown in the country
are of non-European origin.
The Rise of Asian Cultural
Imperialism?
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Asian countries are making a large mark on the film industry:
- Whereas Hollywood releases about 250 commercial films a
year, India alone cranks out 800 to 900 (most of them are
low- budget productions).
- The Chinese film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" has
grossed more than $100 million in the United States alone
— the first foreign-language film to take in that kind of
cash.
Tom Plate, “Hollywood Faces New Competition: World Film Industry Is Globalization at Its Best.”
8/29/02 http://www.international.ucla.edu/bcir/news/article.asp?parentid=2059
I. Introduction to Imperialism:
Causes of Imperialism I.
Introduction to Imperialism: Causes
5. Religious of Imperialism
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Spread of Islam by Arab armies during the
7th-13th centuries.
Spread of Christianity by Spain & Portugal
in the Americas
Spread of Christianity by Britain, France,
Belgium in Africa
I. Introduction to Imperialism:
Causes of Imperialism
6. Social Darwinism
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Justification for imperialism derived from the teachings of
Charles Darwin on natural selection and the survival of the
fittest.
Justified the overseas expansion of European nations by
claiming racial superiority over the non white people in
Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Countries that proved to be more powerful and more
civilized had the right and the obligation to impose their
economic and political systems on the weaker countries.
They were also obligated to spread their values to the
weaker countries.
I.
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Introduction to Imperialism:
Rudyard Kipling – The White Man’s
Burden(1899)
“Take up the White Man's
burden-The savage wars of peaceFill full the mouth of
Famine
And bid the sickness
cease;
And when your goal is
nearest
The end for others sought,
Watch sloth and heathen
Folly
Bring all your hopes to
naught.”
I. Introduction to Imperialism:
Great Britain in India
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Thomas Macaulay
Between 1834 and 1838
he lived in Calcutta and
served on the British
"Supreme Council for
India".
“I have never found one
among them who could
deny that a single shelf of
a good European library
was worth the whole
native literature of India
and Arabia. The intrinsic
superiority of the Western
literature is, indeed, fully
admitted by those
members of the Committee
who support the Oriental
plan of education.”
I.
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Introduction to Imperialism:
U.S. in Iraq
U.S. Army Brigadier
General Mark Kimmitt
An Iraqi journalist asked a
U.S.military spokesman
what should be said to
children scared by lowflying US helicopters. "Tell
them it's the sound of
freedom," he replied,
without batting an eyelid.
http://www.newstatesman.co
m/200403220016
II. Forms of Imperialist Rule
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Colony
Protectorate
Sphere of Influence
II. Forms of Imperialist Rule
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Colony
extension of political and economic control over an area by a state
whose nationals have occupied the area and usually possess
organizational or technological superiority over the native population. It
may consist simply in a migration of nationals to the territory, or it may
be the formal assumption of control over the territory by military or civil
representatives of the dominant power
Direct Rule
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Officials from the metropolis directly administer the colony with little or
no help from the local population.
ex.: French imperialism, Spanish imperialism,
Portuguese imperialism
Indirect Rule
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The use of local, indigenous leaders to administer the colony in the
interest of the metropolis. The indigenous upper class and its offspring
encouraged to study in the metropolis.
II. Forms of Imperialist Rule
2. Protectorate
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A protectorate surrenders part of its sovereignty
(independence) to another state.
Usually, the protected state gives up all or most of its
control over foreign affairs while retaining greater control
over internal matters.
Citizens of the protected state DO NOT become citizens of
the protector state.
Ex.: Cuba (under the Platt Amendment) was an American
protectorate.
II. Forms of Imperialist Rule
3. Sphere of Influence
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An area over which an outside power claims hegemony
with the intention of gaining more definite control or with
the intention of securing an economic monopoly over the
territory without assuming political control.
Theoretically, the sovereignty of a nation was not impaired
by the establishment of a sphere of influence
Currently, it is used by the more powerful nations of the
world to denote the exclusive or predominant interest they
may have in certain areas of the globe, especially for the
purposes of national security.
Ex.: United States in Latin America / Russia in the former
Soviet Republics /