Colonialism, Imperialism

British Colonialism

and

Imperialism

In India and Africa








Imperialism and Colonialism

In most of the cases, these two concepts of imperialism and colonialism can be difficult to define through the history.
Imperialism can be defined as the relations of control that developed nations exert over less developedterritories. This increase in the control occurs often after defeating the other country in a war, and these relations of influence grow normally through business, culture, politics, education, etc.
Moreover, colonialism can be defined as the direct possession of territories conquered by the industrial power , in which exercise a total political , economic and social influence. Examples of thisprocess can be found though history since the 8th century with the expansion of the Greek civilization along the Mediterranean , to the expansion of European colonies through the world and which had its main development in the last third of the 19th century.
It can be said that the colonialism is the instrument used by the imperialism to exercise its authority over vast territories in a determinedmoment of the history.

As it can be seen both terms are interrelated having a lot of interests and causes in common. According to Robert Johnson “Taken broadly, the term ‘imperialism’ might describe political domination, economic exploitation and military subjugation. It might also include aggrandisement of a policy through the colonization of a territory by settlers of invaders. The term candescribe the process of how an empire grows; it might also refer to the method by which an empire maintained itself and the influence it exerced.” (1967: 2)

Furthermore, it can be said that both Colonialism and Imperialism were two phenomenon boosted by the Industrial Revolutions, the first in the 18th century and the second in the 19th century. This Second Industrial Revolution createdsaturation in the national commerce and the necessity to find new relations and business in international lands.





Other factors had influence in this territorial expansion, as for example the demographic phenomenon. In the 19th century the improvements in the medical field and the consequent decrease of mortality generated that a lot of families emigrated to other continents to find newopportunities of work and welfare.
Moreover, the political interests to find strategic connexions for international commerce also influenced in this spread.
Catholic and Protestant missions were another important element that also affected in the process of colonization in new lands, as they saw a good opportunity to disperse their faith and believes.
Military and economy conquest was also applied inthese occupied territories which have not a strong political organization, as for example in Africa.















British Imperialism and Colonialism

The British Empire was one of the most important colonial empires arriving to spread though the five continents.
Since the reign of Henry VII (15th and 16th centuries) some undertakings were carried out, and those would laterinfluence in the creation and posterior development of the British Empire. The most splendid moment of this recent empire took place during the years of Elisabeth I (last decades of 16th century), when the maritime expansion started.
At the beginning of the 17th century , with James I, English colonies started to settle in America, and in the following century the British Empire possessedthirteen colonies in the North of the continent.
These first colonists were from persecuted people seeking for religious liberty and merchants looking for new commerce frontiers to workers looking for new opportunities.
Apart from social aspects, the colonies, which were dependent from England, became an important economic source due to the sugar and cotton plantations, and the trade of slaves...