Imperialism: Costs, Rewards, and Colonial Race

Frequently Asked Questions

• How much was actually gained from imperialism in the long run?
• Did the cost/rewards match for Europeans and natives?

Imperialism Aftermath

• Europeans reconsidered their position on colonialism.
• Colonies adopted new technology and took on a European lifestyle.
• Europeans were more inclined towards peaceful commercial interaction, which proved profitable and less problematic.
• Lives were lost on both sides, especially the military, albeit for different reasons and on different scales.
• Financial costs were heavy, yet imperialism continued.

Colonies as a Safety Valve

• Intense rivalry in colonies caused tension on the continent
• Colonies became a safety valve to release hostility and conflict.
• Proxy wars in the colonies saved the home front.

Colonial Race and WWI

• Being a great power meant having a great colonial empire.
• All powers joined the colonial race on all continents.
• Whether the colonial race caused World War I is a complex question with arguments for both sides (yes & no).

Connection Between Colonialism and WWI

• The Boer War is an example of the connection.
• Colonialism damaged Anglo-German relations and strengthened Anglo-French relations.
• War resulted in the Entente Cordial of 1904 between France and Britain, who were life-long enemies.
• France gained control in Morocco, and Britain in Egypt.
• Germany, frustrated, sought new alliances, while Italy invaded Libya in 1911.
• Tension among powers in the colonies indirectly led to WWI.
• Alliances and counter-alliances had a direct impact on WWI.
• These alliances precipitated the Balkan Wars of 1912-14 that were harbingers of hell.

Imperialism and War Tactics

• Battles were fought against weak opponents leading to brutal punitive campaigns that instilled fear and subjugation.
• Colonial wars created an overconfident European military.
• War was considered a win-win situation, which facilitated the declaration of WWI.

Worst Outcome of Colonialism

• Colonialism led to drawing new geographic borders.
• Borders drawn regardless of race, ethnicity, or religion, and without consulting the natives.
• People were grouped and separated according to colonial interests.

Post WWI

• Independence dictated border changes.
• Changes were executed peacefully or aggressively.
• Examples include Yugoslavia, the Middle East, Armenia, and more recently, Nagorno-Karabakh and Chechnya.

Monoculture and Infrastructure

• Colonial agriculture focused on cash crops that benefitted the colonies.
• Infrastructure such as roads for lumber or drilling in the desert was developed to serve colonial businesses and financed by the colonies.

Cultural Transformations

• Included changes in language, customs, education, and rituals.
• Some practices were harmful, such as witchcraft, scarification, female circumcision, and infanticide.
• Rapid change can be destructive, striking family life and communal cohesion.

Cultural Exchange

• Had some positive outcomes but created unsolvable problems.
• Demographic changes occurred in Africa, Australia, and the Americas.
• Different races were resettled, leading to new races and new problems.

Colonization and Industrialization

• Colonization accelerated the process of industrialization worldwide.
• Open questions remain about whether the price of modernization was justified and whether progress could have occurred without colonization.

Explore the long-term gains and costs of imperialism for both Europeans and natives. Discover how colonies acted as a safety valve, easing tensions in Europe. Examine the colonial race among great powers and its potential link to World War I.