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Between the 1870s and early 1900s, most of Africa and parts of Asia were colonized by European powers due to economic, political, and social factors. The industrial revolution increased Europe's demand for raw materials from these regions. Additionally, severe economic depression in Europe drove nations to seek new markets and resources overseas. Formal colonial control expanded beyond trade to direct rule over large territories. Competition between European powers further fueled colonial expansion and the scramble for Africa and Asia.

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67 views2 pages

Mwessay

Between the 1870s and early 1900s, most of Africa and parts of Asia were colonized by European powers due to economic, political, and social factors. The industrial revolution increased Europe's demand for raw materials from these regions. Additionally, severe economic depression in Europe drove nations to seek new markets and resources overseas. Formal colonial control expanded beyond trade to direct rule over large territories. Competition between European powers further fueled colonial expansion and the scramble for Africa and Asia.

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Betweenthe1870sand1900,AfricafacedEuropeanimperialistaggression,diplomatic

pressures,militaryinvasions,andeventualconquestandcolonization.Bytheearlytwentieth
century,muchofAfrica,andAsiahadbeencolonizedbyEuropeanpowers.TheEuropean
imperialistpushintoAfricawasmotivatedbyeconomic,social,andpoliticalfactors.It
developedinthenineteenthcenturyfollowingthecollapseoftheprofitabilityoftheslavetrade,
itsabolitionandsuppression,aswellastheexpansionoftheEuropeancapitalistIndustrial
Revolution.Theimperativesofcapitalistindustrializationincludingthedemandforassured
sourcesofrawmaterials,thesearchforguaranteedmarketsandprofitableinvestment
outletsspurredtheEuropeanscrambleandthepartitionandeventualconquestofAfrica.Thus
theprimarymotivationforEuropeanintrusionwaseconomic.

Beforethe
IndustrialRevolution
inthemidtolate19thcentury,demandfororientalgoodssuch
as(
porcelain
,
silk
,
spices
and
tea
)remainedthedrivingforcebehindEuropeanimperialism,and
(withtheimportantexceptionofBritishEastIndiaCompanyruleinIndia)theEuropeanstakein
Asiaremainedconfinedlargelytotradingstationsandstrategicoutpostsnecessarytoprotect
trade.Industrialisation,however,dramaticallyincreasedEuropeandemandforAsianraw
materialsandthesevere
LongDepression
ofthe1870sprovokedascramblefornewmarketsfor
EuropeanindustrialproductsandfinancialservicesinAfrica,theAmericas,EasternEurope,and
especiallyinAsia.Thisscramblecoincidedwithanewerainglobal
colonial
expansionknown
as"the
NewImperialism
,"whichsawashiftinfocusfromtradeand
indirectrule
toformal
colonialcontrolofvastoverseasterritoriesruledaspoliticalextensionsoftheirmothercountries.

ThereweremanyreasonsforthecolonizationofAfrica,includingeconomic,political,and
religiousmotives.ThemostimportantwaseconomicasadepressionwasoccurringinEurope.
CountrieslikeGreatBritain,France,Germany,Belgium,otherpowerswerelosingmoney,and
Africaappearedtobeawayoutofthedepression.TomakemoneyoutofAfrica,Europeans
useditsmanyrawgoods.Theyhoardedoil,ivory,rubber,palmoil,wood,cotton,andgum(for
paper).BecauseofcheapAfricanlabor,thesematerialswereeasilyacquired.Thesematerials
couldpossiblysparkanfinancialboominEurope.Theindustrialrevolutionwasalsomaking
progress,makingthesegoodsofutmostimportance.NewAfricanmarketssetupbythe
Europeanscouldalsoproducemorecommerce.Individualsalsowantedmoney.KingLeopold
ruledtheCongojustforhisownfinancialgain,notofhiscountry,Belgium.
AnotherreasonforthecolonizationofAfricawasbecauseofrivalriesbetweencountries.Britain
andFrancehadhatedeachotherforcenturiesduetotheinfamoushundredyearswar,andthey
bothwantedtooutdotheotherinAfrica.However,theraceforpowerwasnotlimitedtoBritain
andFrance.Othernationswantedtobenefitaswell,likeGermany,Italy,andSpain.Nationalism

wasquitepopularinmanyWesternEuropeancountries,everyonewantedtheircountrytobethe
strongest.
OnceAfricawasstartingtobecolonized,moralissuesbecameanconcernaswell.Onehuge
topicwastostoptheMuslimSwahilislavetrade.EuropeanswereshockedathowAfricanscould
dothis.TheyalsowantedtoimplementthethreeCs.Thosewerecommerce(tomakemoney),
Christianity(tosavetheheathenAfricans),andCivilization(tomakecivilized).David
Livingston,amissionaryanddoctor,wasanexampleofsomeonewhosupportedbuildingroads
forcommerce,endingslavery,andimprovingthehealthcareandeducationof
Africans.Europeanswouldfinditeasiertodothisinthe1800sbecauseofnewimprovementsin
technology.TheMaximgun,anearlyeditionofthemachinegun,wasfarsuperiortothenative
tribesmusketsorspears.Thiswouldhelpprotectattemptstobringcommerce,andstopany
resistancetothemissionariesbringingChristianitylikeDavidLivingston.Hence,manynative
religionswereseverelyimpactedorwhippedoutliketheIboandtheSwahilireligions.There
werealsonewadvancesinmedicine,allowing(toanextent)Europeanstobettersurvivemalaria
andyellowfever.Thus,thethreemajormotivesforthecolonization(economics,political
rivalries/nationalism,andreligiousproselytism)convergedduringthe1800sandpropelled
EuropetocolonizeAfrica.
Theecologicaleffectsofimperialismweremixedthroughouttheworld.Imperialismledtothe
dislocationofthousandsofsmallsocietiesespeciallyinAfricawhentheEuropeansdrew
haphazardandillogicallinesonthecolonialmaps.Industrialdevelopmentdisturbedthepristine
environmentofpreviouslyundamagedterritories,thetraditionalsocietieswerereplacedby
Europeanbusinessmenandinvestors.Whileslaveryhadgoneoutoffavorsometimeago,
AfricanandAsianmenandwomenwereviewedascheaplaborforEuropeanfactories
therefore,slaveryconditionspersisted.

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