Imperialism: Positive or Negative Phenomenon, a Historical Period that Has Changed the World - Essay Example

Chinicò Marco Chinicò Freelance Journalist and reporter English n. 4 29 of April Imperialism: Positive or negative Phenomenon? A historical period that has changed the world Introduction Imperialism and colonialism. These are two typical expressions about a particular historical period, between 1871 and 1914 year. The most important European governments have decided that their political and international programs must to extend their hegemony to other countries. Africa and India was two of some continents who suffered the European invasion. After 1871 year, were happened important historical phenomena that have changed the life of America country. Hard and bad wars for the independence have brought much suffering to North and South America. British and Spanish colonies have surrendered before the desire for freedom by the respective local populations. Economically some colonies of Central America weren’t very interesting and the European attention was directed to India but this country was already occupied by England. Why imperialism? Europe wanted to impose its power, its culture, its traditions, and hopes to find, especially in individual African countries, more economic resources to be exploited. The Negroes were considered an inferior race, but at the same time people to defend, protect and civilize. Many critics consider the long historical period of imperialism as a civilizing mission. The main objective of this mission was to spread all the progress that many European countries had known. Shortly before the period of imperialism, Europe had met another important period: industrialization, an important event for all the peoples of Europe who for the first time know the technological progress, the work begins to improve, by coating the figure of assets minus manual and more dependent on new machinery. The working class is still alive, present, and ready to give his daily contribution to the growth of production in their factories. Chinicò 2 The European governments have thought that all this, exactly technological and economic progress, had to be exported to other less developed continents. In some African countries was widespread cannibalism, colonization offered considerable help to stop this ghoulish costume. In some parts of India there was the ritual that all people had to sacrifice their lives to respect the wishes of the goddess Kali and the English invasion has allowed the elimination of these rites, offensive to the dignity, the freedom and the right to life of humans. During the time have grown many imperialist rivalries between the individuals and the most important European states, keen to extend their power to other continents. The empire of Germany realized that if they had not established rules and criteria for fair and equitable sharing of the individual territories, one might have even come to the battle between the great powers. Berlin, to avoid this, convened a major conference and promoter of this was the Chancellor of the German Empire, Otto von Bismarck. Bismarck during the same conference said that every state should have political criteria and economical requirements well-defined before conquering the colony in question. All states that wanted to divide the territories of Africa and Asia, have to notify their intentions to all members of Berlins conference. Anyone who was against the invasion of a colony, could strongly to contest the action, arguing his case, provided that it was caused by serious reasons. The aim of Europe was to form a local government that could administer the colony under the guidance, the rules and directives of the conqueror state. A separate discussion deserve the Leninist concept of imperialism. Lenin has focused his vision about imperialism with capitalist economy. For Russia, Leninist capitalism was based exclusively: on the principle that the means of production and capital had to be in the hands of a small number of owners. A concept that was the born to the phenomenon of monopolies and the principle of free competition. Bank capital and industrial capital couldnt live separately, but stay together and, for the first time, was introduced the idea of financial oligarchy. The export of capital has gained great importance, a phenomenon that has to travel in parallel with the export of goods. The thought of Leninist imperialism, in the other European countries, was seen as a financial surplus on which to make new investments and not as the first element of export proceeds. With the historical period of Lenin were created the first monopolistic and capitalist associations which base their activities on the division of the earth continues. Land that until the early 900’ will be the subject of conquest and the historical doctrine speaks of complete absence of a no mans land. All portions of land, large or small, have been conquered and divided by the respective European states. Chinicò 3 What were the main changes that imperialism has brought? Changes were positive or negative? What were the political, economic and cultural needs of this important historical period, for long 43 years? Among the positive aspects should be stressed the civilizing process, accomplished with success by major European powers. Many ancient civilizations, especially African countries, have abandoned old tribal rites and traditions, adopting and following the principles of freedom and justice, on which rested the European laws. Africa, Asia and even India, during the colonial period of Britain, have become three continents with a high economic development. The ground was worked for production and manufacturing sector offered to the countries colonized more wealth even though the same wealth was to be distributed to their colonizing countries. Who had the chances, went to study in major European universities where he has received excellent preparation about political, economic and legal topics. All more rich people who have studied, have recognized the teachings, conveyed them from Europe, very good. Chinicò 4 Conclusion After the period of imperialism and colonization, the more total instability is initiated for all the more backward countries. All those who have had the opportunity to study culturally and politically, have adopted the principles and values of Europeans and, after few years, they started to take dominion over their populations. Within their own territories were started the first persecutions that led to the formation of the dictatorships, communist-style, which not only have deprived the freedom of each individual but also has increased poverty. All the wealth that these dictators have found, was concentrated in their hands; for years they have ruled their respective countries, shaming man, women and all children were born. A bad thing that has radically changed the story, with serious consequences that have trod the stage history for many years. Civil war broke out back in 1994 in Rwanda and, more recently, the Arab spring of last year, are three examples that demonstrate how the imperialism period, born with the intention of teaching the principles of liberty, equality, democracy and justice, has developed bad fruit in some African Civilizations. Who has had the opportunity to learn from the phenomenon of colonization has decided to use these teachings to create dictatorial and totalitarian regimes that for more than 30 years have affected the lives of some populations. Schemes that have ceased to exist in the worst way, due to the outbreak of civil war between supporters and opponents of the dictator. Injured, dead, tears and bloodshed have characterized these internal wars against the old dictators. Libya, Tunisia and Egypt are working hard to build a democracy worthy of its name, but the road is still long and to speak about of free nations and democratic states, actually is only utopia. Many historians think that the real imperialism is only that era in which the ancient Romans, Egyptians and Babylonians were the absolute masters in the Mediterranean basin. The economic and trade relations could only occur within their empire and not outside of the territory. The period from 1871 to 1914 saw the birth of economic monopoly, a monopoly which was then dissolved with the passage of time, becoming what we now call globalization of world economy. A small form of imperialism, today we can find it in the international politics of the United States. America is a country that has always tried to impose his ideas to other states, a system that has adopted since 1945 to 1989, the year of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the long Cold War with the USSR. Chinicò 5 American writers and critics, always have said that their country, after the end of Soviet Union, has never wanted to change his war mentality, but wanted, when it was needed, to resort to military solutions that the USA Presidents have believed as a way to solve political and economic problems. Imperialism, as all events that have written pages and pages of history, has foundations, ideals and features not shared by all. Bibliography Imperialism, Wikipedia. All Print Imperialism, website: www.ecn.org, All Print Contemporary History, Italian legal issues. Editor: Simone, 2008 Imperialism, historiographical debate. Wikipedia. All Print Cafè Europe Magazine: Post Colonial, studies and critical. Website: www.cafeeuropa.it All Print, 2005 Popolis.it, The interpretations of imperialism. Website: www1.popolis.it, Author: Gianfranco Marini, All Print State and Anarchy, Author: Michail Bakunin, 1873 Read More