Colonialism: Causes, Dominance, and Organization
Causes of Colonialism
Economic Factors: European countries sought new markets to sell their surplus production and to buy raw materials (iron, charcoal, cotton, etc.) at the lowest possible prices. They also invested surplus capital where labor allowed for greater profits.
Demographic Factors: Excessive population growth led to a search for work. Colonialism offered many Europeans the opportunity to emigrate and improve their living conditions.
Political Factors: With borders stabilized in Europe,
Read MorePopulation Dynamics: Density, Factors, and Global Trends
Population Density and Distribution
Factors Influencing Population Distribution
The distribution of the population is influenced by physical, economic, and historical factors.
Population Census
Censuses of the population are typically conducted every ten years and contain information from the population registers. However, there are sometimes errors in these records.
Evolution of Population
Population Trends in Developed Countries
The evolution of the population in wealthy countries can be characterized
Read MoreImperialism and the Road to World War I
Causes of Imperialism
Rise of finance capitalism: The increase in production led to a search for new markets outside Europe, raw materials, and cheap sources of energy.
International prestige: Colonies were a symbol of international prestige.
Growth: Unemployment led to emigration.
Scientific progress: Geographic expeditions to unknown areas, such as the African continent, were undertaken.
White Supremacy: Europeans believed that the white race was superior and that it was their duty to bring European
Read MoreUnderstanding Population Dynamics: Density, Distribution, and Growth
Population Density
Population Density is the ratio between the number of inhabitants and the area, expressed in inhabitants per square kilometer (hab/km2). Generally, densities around 10 hab/km2 are considered low, around 50 hab/km2 are considered medium, and above 80 hab/km2 are considered high. Absolute population is the number of people living in a territory at a given time.
Population Distribution
The population is distributed very unevenly across the Earth. There are large areas with high population
Read MoreSpain’s Early 20th Century: Agrarian Challenges & Industrial Growth
Agrarian Challenges in Early 20th Century Spain
Land Ownership Inequality and its Consequences
In the first third of the 20th century, the Spanish countryside was marked by significant inequality in land ownership. The existence of large estates (latifundios) alongside tiny smallholdings (minifundios) resulted in low agricultural yields. On one hand, the owners of vast estates in Extremadura and Andalusia demonstrated an aversion to risk and little interest in efficiently cultivating their lands.
Read MoreSpain’s Economy: Trade, Transport, and Tourism
Domestic Trade
Domestic trade is very extensive, especially in urban areas with increased income levels. It is also very extended in urban areas with lower income levels, where traditional commerce predominates.
Restructuring
- Modernization (new consumer habits, implementation of new technologies)
- Trade expansion in new ways
- Traditional small commerce crisis (difficulty competing, solution: unions)
International Trade
International trade represents 55.5% of the national GDP. It has experienced spectacular
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