Topic:-

Imperialism: Origin, Meaning, Forms and Neo Imperialism

Imperialism: Origin,

The development of positivism in the European Philosophy led to the evolution of Renaissance and the
secularization of society. The positivist doctrine influenced considerably the society at large and
unleashed creative forces to collapse the medieval age. It also acted as a harbinger of the age of reason. Its
by-product was the Industrial revolution that gave vast instrument of power to European States. Napoleon
Bonaparte was the child of this revolution. He if carried the massage of Democracy and Republicanism to
far and wide. However, his rising power ended in the Battle of Waterloo. Therefore the superiority of
Science and Technology and the resultant of surplus production i,e Industrial Revolution of 1860
provided the wherewithal for the generation of imperialism and inevitably led to the search for raw
materials as well as market for finished goods. Imperialism displayed considerable capacity and grew
beyond its borders. The small power potential and the political vulnerability that lay at the cross roads of
imperial powers obviously excited move’s and counter moves for the future colonization of Asia and
Africa. The basic assumptions of policy options of the imperial power that became operational were as
under;
a) All States tend to expand in to the territories of weaker States; ‘No military Nation has ever yet
abstained from conquest; while there was any thing within its grasp to conquer’;
b) Any civilizing power when in contact with Barbarism naturally expands.

Simultaneously, Imperialistic forces used Darwin theory to their support. In fact Darwinism was a radical
departure from Aristotelian Science. It developed a corpus of knowledge based on the philosophy of the
“SURVIVAL OF THE FITIST”. It advocated in the process of natural selection the weak are pushed to
the wall and the strongest posses a Natural Right to Survive. The philosophy found its adverse off shoots
at the hands of the protagonists of Imperialism who propagated it in the domain of POLITICS. It
developed a school of thought who glorified the State and coercive apparatus of Imperialism and justified
it in the doctrine of “White Man’s Burden”

Definition

1. Professor Schuman defines imperialism as, “control over non-white races by Western by force”.
2. . Mortiz Julius Bonn, in the Encyclopedia of Social Sciences writes, “Imperialism is a policy
which aims at at creating, organizing and maintaining an empire, that is, a state of vast size
composed of more or less distinct national units and subjects to a single centralized will”.
3. C.D. Burns says, “Imperialism is the name given to a single system of law and governance in
many different lands and races”.
4. According to H. G. Wells, “All our modern Imperialism is thus, the more or less conscious effort
of one nation to become world wide”.
5. Professor Hawking says, ‘Imperialism is the ethics of severity”.
Imperialism: Features

On the bases of these definitions following are the features of Imperialism are;
a) The scope of Imperialism are far and wide,
b) It is composed of many more races and nationalities;
c) Organs of Imperialism have single control;
d) Imperialistic forces only satisfy its own interests and exploit countries under its control;
e) Imperial Countries show tremendous prosperity while as countries under its subjugation declines
in all forms.
 f) Imperial Countries exploiting natural resources of conquered countries and make them a market
of the finished goods for its own prosperity;
g) Imperialists use all typists of tactics to enhance interests and impose its will.

Forms of Imperialism

1) Colonial Rule, that is, Administration of the subjugated country is made through Colonial
Department. It allocates only nominal authorities to the natives and monopolizes all formal
powers to its advantage;
2) Dominions, It is a kind of status allotted to the conquered territory and in this way a said territory
is directly linked with the central administration and allegiance is reserved with ceremonial Head
of the imperial country;
3) Protectorates: Imperialists also hunt for protectorates states to whom they allow separate wings
and government under their control more specifically in economic matters. They are being
allowed to operate limited foreign policy;
4) Leaseholds In order to maintain and retain imperial sway over other countries the imperial
countries acquire some of the province of weaker states on lease and its hold on that country;
5) Condominium: It means those territories where the interests of the imperial power clash. In order
to avoid direct war with contesting imperial power they prefer to enter in to an agreement to stay
away from war. In that way they establish joint control and disputed territory is divided in to
areas of influence among themselves;
6) Financial Control: When a country is made to repay the loans, the country advancing the loan
controls a part of that country to realize its money;
7) Extra- Territoriality: In order to increase the area of influence the imperial countries send their
traders and missionaries who settle their and gradually increase their influence. The put fourth the
demand that the laws of those country should not be imposed on them and they should be
governed under the law of the country of their origin;

Forms of Neo Imperialism (New or modern forms of Imperialism)

1) Mandated Territory; This is a new form of imperialism which took birth after the end of First
World War. In this form of imperialism victorious imperial power conquer the colonies of
defeated imperial power and place them under the control of League of Nations in the title that
these colonies are not in a position to manage their affairs. In order to attain self rule these
colonies were supposed to submit annual report to the League;
2) Trusteeship Council; Victorious powers of II World War took the control of some colonies. The
ruling countries submit a report to the Trusteeship council of United Nations regarding their
administration of these territories in which the account of progress of the administration of these
countries is highlighted;
3) Sphere of Influence; In modern times the imperial countries offer economic, technical and
military aid in order to increase the area of their influence;
4) Globalization; In view of extensive advance is cyber world and increasing economic
liberalization the advanced countries are using it to their advantage on account of technological,
Scientific, Medical, Engineering knowhow. In one or other form if it is denounced by Resource
rich countries, (third world Countries) but presently condition at large were created which only
accrue its advantages to prosperous states only at the cost of Third World Nations.