Imperialism

Many of the nations and cultures of today have been affected by imperialism in some way and so making imperialism an important topic in the study of world history. Imperialism is defined as the practice of one country extending its control over the territory, political system, or economic life of another country. It is obvious that a powerful state following imperialistic policies will take over weaker ones and exploit their economy. What is not so obvious is how a state comes to follow a policy of imperialism, or is forced to, and how that cause affects both the imperial power and its subjects. Imperialism’s commercial nature ultimately causes the imperial power to compromise its values and causes its subjects to change their economy and value system.

Imperialism is a policy which is often associated with conquest and colonization, but imperialism’s core is commercial. As stated above, imperialism is the practice of one country extending its control over the territory, political system, or economic life of another country. However, the nature of imperialism is ultimately concerned with just the economic part of that definition because the essential qualities and characteristics by which imperialism is recognized are commercial. John Hobson wrote: “… it is only the interests of competing cliques of business men [...] that are antagonistic; that these cliques [...] use the public resources to push their private businesses” (134). Hobson, who lived during the time of Britain’s expansion, describes imperialism as being driven by the private interests of businessmen. An example of how imperialism is commercial by nature is the East India Trading Company, a company comprised of businessmen who banded together to make money by importing valuable spices from South Asia into Britain to sell at high prices. The company set up trading posts in India, and, because of division and instability in the nation, they began arming themselves, and requesting assistance from the British army when necessary. After putting down rebellions and opposition, the East India Company eventually found itself to be in control of India. Later, the company was dissolved by the British government, leaving Britain in control of India. This episode shows how Britain, who initially had no interest in controlling India, became an imperial power because of the commercial interests of the East India Trading Company.

The nature of imperialism has the ability to change the imperial power. Imperialism’s commercial nature most often causes or forces the imperial power to compromise its values. The imperial power gains control of the other country to exploit their natural resources and economic system. Often times this leads to poor treatment of the subjects of the imperial power. The treatment of the imperial power’s subjects contradicts the moral beliefs and treatment of the imperial power’s citizens, and thus exposes the compromise of values. An example of this was when Mahatma Gandhi, a lawyer and British citizen, was thrown off a train for riding as a first class traveler because he was Indian. Although the British believed that all men were created equal, Gandhi was still thrown off the train because of the imperialistic policy of the British in India, showing British authorities had compromised their values. “Every one of the steps of expansion in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific has been accompanied by bloodshed; each imperialist Power keeps an increasing army available for foreign service; rectification of frontiers, punitive expeditions, and other euphemisms for war. Peace as a national policy is antagonised not merely by war, but by militarism” (133). John Hobson explains how imperial powers compromised their values regarding peace by keeping large armies available and active. The commercial nature of imperialism causes the imperial power to compromise its values.