New Imperialism Dbq

Kyle Samms P-5 2/15/2018 DBQ Essay: New Imperialism: Causes
The new imperialism of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was made possible by several economic, political, and social forces. During the scramble for overseas colonies, many European powers saw the benefits of establishing colonies in distant lands. There were many motives behind this however, economically, politically , and socially. Forming a colony would greatly promote economic interest. Faraway lands were rich in the natural resources that western nations greatly desired, such as rubber, cloth, spices, salt, precious minerals, and of course slaves. Through colonization, these raw materials could easily be obtained and monopolized, thus making the nation wealthier

than ever. Politically, imperialism made the most sense. By seizing control of other countries, the home country would reach new levels of prominence and prestige. Socially, imperialism was an opportunity for the West to impose their “superior” ways and Christian faith onto the people they conquered. They could share their technology and knowledge and bring civilization to the “savages” they came across.It was these reasons that were responsible for new imperialism during that era.
Economic opportunity was a driving factor in the new imperialism of the West. In the new colonies, Europeans had hoped to discover new market ventures and make profit from the new industries that were taking place. However for this to occur, raw materials were in demand. Fortunately, they could be found in distant lands that, if they were colonized, they could acquire and have control over. This is verified in Document 1 when it states, “This group of imported interests has been greatly strengthened by the demand of giant industries for colonial raw materials...Finally, the most powerful business groups are the bankers. Banks make loans to colonies and backward countries for building railways and steamship lines.” Quite obviously , there was much profit found in imperialism. Colonizing lands abundant in the raw materials needed to power the West’s booming industry was also very contributive. It was the dream of the West to gain such wealth from trade through their colonies. This is observed in Document 2 where it states, “ the trade of the world must and shall be ours...We will cover the ocean with our merchant marines. We will build a navy to the measure of our greatness.” European nations found riches in the lands they annexed and therefore amassed much trade and fortune, thus emphasizing the effect economic forces played on imperialism.
Political motives were a key factor in the new imperialism by the western world. Every western power longed to rise to the top as the most prominent and influential country of its day. This was achieved through imperialism. These nations took over any land they desired and exploited its people, they had the far superior technology and weaponry that enabled them to do so and which their less-developed enemy could not stand a chance. In Document 8, there is the letter of Phan Thanh Gian, governor of a Vietnamese state, to his administrators that reads, “ The French have immense warships, filled with soldiers and armed with huge cannons. No one can resist them. They go where they want, the strongest ramparts fall before them.” The militaries of the West were unstoppable, and their hunger for more power was insatiable. “ None of the colonial undertakings was motivated by the quest for capitalist profits, they all originated in political ambitions… the nations will to power… or glory or national greatness”, reads Document 3. Colonial powers conquered several peoples to increase their prestige, thus they had more subjects to rule, more workers for their growing industries, and more riches to be acquired. Political forces were perhaps the greatest factor responsible for new imperialism.
Behind the rise of Western imperialism, were social forces which had much influence on it.

Westerners saw themselves as the superior races, and ignorantly belittled the cultures they encountered. They exploited the people and used them as slaves, ordered them to hard labour, forced their ways onto them, or gave them little to no rights. They felt no shame or wrongdoing in taking their lands or their treatment of the natives because in their eyes these groups were savages or not even considered human. Moreover, they, as the superior race, felt obliged to seize countries and its people and use them to make their nations even greater. This Western mentality can be observed in Document 4 in which British imperialist Cecil Rhodes writes, “ I contend that we (Britons) are the finest race in the world, and the more of the world we inhabit, the better it is for the human race... It is our duty to seize every opportunity of acquiring more territory and we should keep this one idea steadily before our eyes that more territory simply means more of the Anglo-Saxon race, more of the best, the most human, most honourable race the world possesses.” Many of those holding this position applied Social Darwinism to justify their taking over of foreign peoples. Document 5 states, “Psychologically speaking... evolutionary teaching (about the ‘survival of the fittest’) was perhaps most crucial. It not only justified competition and struggle but introduced an element of ruthlessness…” In

their eyes this was just another example of ‘natural selection’ or ‘survival of the fittest’ in which the “inferior” indigenous peoples were being pushed out or making way for the “far superior” Western race. In contrast, there were many Westerners who saw imperialism as a way to change the lives of the natives for the better yet they approached this with bias. Many wanted to spread the Christian religion and civilization to the colonized lands in order to save the indigenous groups from their “savage and brutal ways.” These missionaries viewed them as “lost children” who were in desperate need to be delivered from the darkness of ignorance and their customs, and be introduced to the Western ways of living or be brought proper civilization. Imperialism was a way for the West to share their remarkable advances in technology and their incredible knowledge to the rest of the world in hopes that the lands they would be enlightened and modernized. Social forces had a huge impact on how imperialism would spread.
There were a number of economic, political, and social forces behind imperialism.

It brought great success to the western world, and ultimately to the rest of human civilization. Nations amassed new wealth, power, security and prominence that they could only dream of through imperialism. New ideas, technology and knowledge spread quickly throughout the then undeveloped world that caused them to become modernized. Western influence was felt all across the globe as a result and completed reshaped civilization within it. Though imperialism may have risen from overall selfish ambitions, it would eventually better the world. Politically, European competed to halt the expansion of their rivals and prove themselves to be the greatest nation at that time. Economically, countries looked to oversea colonies for natural resources and raw materials to fuel their growing industries and opportunities for new market ventures and more fortune from new businesses. Socially, many westerners viewed imperialism as a way for their race to prove itself the most “superior” while others took as as the chance to introduce Christianity and a better way of living to the most “uncivilized” people. Overall, there were many forces of economics, politics, and social views that were responsible for the new imperialism of the late nineteenth and early twentieth

centuries.