Colonial Encounters in Asia, Africa, and Oceania
1750-1950
Colonial Rule was the new element in the British, French, German, Italian, Belgian, Portuguese, Russian and Americans. The polices and rules of the colonial power changed over time, and became different from when they started. Men and women experienced different aspects of the colonial rule. As did the traditional elites, Western- educated groups, artisan, peasant farmers, and migrant laborers. Polices, practices, and intentions of temporary European rulers shaped the colonial experience.
Industry and Empire
Because of the productivity of industrial technology it created the need for raw material and agriculture products such as... wheat from the American Midwest; meat from Argentina: banana from Central America; rubber from Brazil; cocoa and palm oil from West Africa; tea, copra, and coconut oil from Ceylon; gold and diamonds from South Africa; gutta-percha, a natural latex used to insulate under water telegraph lines, from Southeast Asia. Europe needed to sell there own products. Between 1910 and 1913 Britain was sending about half of its savings overseas as foreign investment.
Imperialism promised to solve all the issues of industrializing society while avoiding revolution. But the growth of mass nationalism is what made imperialism popular in Europe. In 1871 the unification of Italy and Germany became competitive, and the rivalry spilled over into the struggle for colonies and economic concessions in Asia, Africa, and the Pacific Oceania.
Comments
Post a Comment