Imperialism and Colonial Empires in the 19th Century
(Ottoman, Russian and Austro-Hungarian), two new states (Italy and Germany), United Kingdom increasingly more focused on its overseas interests and France building a new republic. Can United Kingdom Queen Victoria I ruled from 1837 to 1901. economic hegemony on a global level and also expanded its overseas empire. competitors emerged: Germany, United States and Japan. In terms of domestic political power the British government alternated between the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party.
France in 1851, Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte staged a coup d’état. He proclaimed himself Emperor Napoleon II, establishing the Second Empire and had an aggressive foreign policy. After Napoleon III’s defeat in Sedan, the Third Republic was proclaimed. A period of prosperity, stability and cultural development began
German Empire Germany became a great power. Chancellor Bismarck played a key diplomatic role in international relations Germany was organised as a bicameral parliamentary system. It passed progressive social legislation. supported primarily by the Social Democratic Party.
Great empires The Austro-Hungarian, Russian and Ottoman empires two aspects: they were made up of various nationalities, many of which had begun to demand their independence. They had an outdated political, economic and social structure
The characteristics of imperialism
Imperialism is the control exercised by certain powerful states over other territories. the European powers had established
vast empires. This ‘new imperialism’ reached its height between 1870 and 1914 and was dominated by the industrialised countries Industrialisation had given the imperial powers a technical, economic and military advantage over traditional agrarian societies Several European powers, as well as the United States and Japan, occupied extensive territories in Africa, Asia and the Pacific Ocean, creating colonial empires.
Types of colonial administration
Colony Territory dominated entirely by the occupying power. There were two types:
Exploitation colonies: were primarily used to provide resources for export
Settler colonies were the destination of emigration from the parent country.
Protectorate: respected the native government. occupying power exploited local resources and controlled foreign policy.
concession: The Administration and Occupation of a territory within a state for the purpose of trade.
causes of imperialism
Demographic: European demographic growth over the 19th century created a surplus population, finding work and suitable living conditions. As a result, millions of Europeans welcomed the opportunity to emigrate to the colonies
ideological: Underlying all of the justifications was racism, belief in the supposed superiority of the white race. Europeans not only the right, but also the obligation, to dominate the rest of humanity. They felt they had to exercise a civilising mission’ with the
native populations.
Political: The powers took control of certain territories due to their geostrategic location. This prevented competing powers
from obtaining them and also protected trade routes. In an age of aggressive, Conservative nationalism, having colonies provided political prestige.
Economic: The powers needed cheap raw materials and energy sources. The colonies provided markets in which to sell their
products and a place to invest capital surplus to obtain even
higher profits.
New extra-European powers
In the second half of the 19th century. United States Demographic growth and an abundance of natural resources made the United. It expanded westwards across the North American continent. at the expense of the Native American tribes to oppose European intervention in the Americas Japan the United States forced Japan to end its isolationist policy and open up to foreign trade. This allowed the country to industrialise. It started to expand. bringing it into conflict with the Chinese and Russian empires
The colonial empires
European expansion
European powers wanted a colonial empire They conquered large areas in the rest of the world. geographic explorations and scientific expeditions.
Surviving Early Modern empires: Portugal held territories in Africa and enclaves along the Indian Ocean and in China. The
Netherlands held onto Suriname and Indonesia. Spain retained a few small territories in Africa.
Great colonial empires: The British Empire was the largest and richest. It encompassed around one quarter of the Earth’s surface and population. It also possessed exploitation colonies in Africa and self-governing white settler colonies known as dominions in North America, Oceania and South Africa. France lost most of its earlier colonies after the fall of Napoleon. France established a new colonial empire that included territories in Africa, in the Indian Ocean, Pacific and Caribbean Its most important settler colony was Algeria.
Later colonial empires: Germany, Italy and Belgium arrived late to the game. Their expansion took place primarily within the context of the ‘Scramble for Africa, In order to prevent conflicts between the powers, Bismarck convened the
1885 Berlin Conference to regulate African colonisation and trade.
Urban society
Bourgeoisie and nobility: These two groups merged. The revolutionary bourgeoisie became a conservative class.
Middle classes: Professional, technical and clerical positions. They served as a buffer between the upper and
lower classes.
Peasants and proletariat: The number of peasants decreased rapidly
Origins of the welfare state
Universal male suffrage spread to more countries. states began taking their first steps towards
protecting the health and wellbeing of their citizens. These included:
The first compulsory education laws.
Initiatives to implement social insurance for such problems as unemployment and old age.
Advances in public health and urban development
WOMEN
Major demographic changes during this period helped create the right conditions for women’s emancipation: lower infant mortality, fewer children per woman, later age of marriage and declining birth rates. Women had always worked, but now access to secondary and university education. The professions considered most suitable were associated with traditional roles, such as child care and nursing. created new job possibilities: shop assistants, typists, etc. For the first time, many working-class women could be financially independent. These social changes had political repercussions in the form of the suffrage
movement. demanding the vote for women since the 1890s. But in most cases, they had to wait until after 1914.
The labour movement
in the second half of the 19 th century, the labour movement tried to organise and coordinate the working
the first internationalmarxist: they believed in the inevitable victory of the proletariat anarchist: mikhail bakunin, the wanted to abolish all authority and favoured ‘direct economical struggle’
the second internationalit had a largely social democratic