The Second Industrial Revolution and Imperialism: A Historical Overview
1. The Second Industrial Revolution (1870-1914)
In the 19th century, the Second Industrial Revolution began as Europe, the United States, and Japan became industrial economies. It was characterized by:
New scientific and technological discoveries
New ways of working and new financial and business solutions.
Development of production, trade, and transport
At the end of the 19th century, new energy sources emerged and were developed, namely electricity. Electricity had many applications in industry, transport, communication systems, entertainment, and lighting.
Oil extraction began in the United States in the mid-19th century, and this was used to make combustion engines.
The great technological increase that occurred in the late 19th century was due to the union between scientific research and industry.
Frederick Taylor invented Taylorism, which was based on the assembly line, in which each worker performed a specific task in the production process to make labor as profitable as possible. Production began in the United States at the Ford Motor Company.
Finance Capitalism
The high capital investment for technological innovations stimulated the relationship between banking and industry, and banks started to fund the industrial process.
Industry was becoming concentrated in fewer companies. This led to the creation of cartels, trusts, holdings, and monopolies.
States recognized freedom of assembly and association, and the first Socialist Parties appeared at the end of the 19th century. In Western Europe, the situation of the proletarian improved. Some laws regulated:
– Working day
– Minimum wages
– Retirement pensions
– Accident Compensation
2. Imperialism
What is imperialism? A system in which a country imposes its rule over another country or region. Its causes were:
– Economic, Political and strategic, demographic and ideological
Economic: Looking for new markets to sell their products and where to obtain raw materials and colonial products.
Political and strategic: Colonial empires to increase their prestige and international power.
Demographic: The colonies provided territories where the excess European population could emigrate.
Ideological: Conservative nationalism believed that Europeans had a mission to civilize the population in the colonized country.
Organization of the Colonies
Colonies: A country or region that is exploited and governed by another country. CONGO
Dominion: The metropole gave the indigenous government some autonomy. Settle colonies of the British Empire.
Protectorates: A territory, following colonial occupation, maintained an indigenous government regulated by the metropole.
Concessions: An area assigned to a metropole for a period.
Colonial Empires
The major imperialist powers were Great Britain and France (possessions in Asia and Africa). Other powerful colonial powers: Belgium, Germany, Italy, Holland, Russia, USA (Pacific…Philippines and Hawaii), and Japan.
a) Scramble of Africa
The Scramble for Africa or partition of Africa began in 1870. It was colonized very quickly, and Europeans soon ruled the entire continent.
The clash of interests between the powers over the division of Africa resulted in the Berlin Conference of 1885. This Conference established the rules for dividing the territory and the areas that each power would occupy.
b) Imperialism in Asia
Asia was also occupied by European powers and other countries. In China, the Opium Wars (1840-1860) forced it to open up its ports to foreign trade.
The colonial powers were:
Great Britain: Possessed the largest colonial empire in the world. (INDIA)
France: Had a huge colonial empire too and had colonies in Africa and South-east Asia.
Other powerful…
Consequences of Imperialism
Colonialism caused suffering among the indigenous people of the colonized territories and profoundly disrupted their way of life. The impact of colonialism on the conquered territories still affects them today.
It saw new advances in health, education, and new industries. However, these advances did not help the indigenous populations:
The advances were made in the interests of the metropole.
Mortality rates dropped, and the population increased, but the balance between population and resources was destroyed (malnutrition).
The Europeans imposed their languages, cultures, and customs in the schools.
The consequences of colonization were significant:
Changes in lifestyle and authority
Acculturation (western culture)
Internal conflicts due to the arbitrary drawing
Segregation between colonists and indigenous populations.
Impressionism
In 1870, there was a radical change in European society due to science, the industrial revolution, and the invention of photography (1826).
Pictorial Impressionism developed at the end of the 19th century. It was rejected by the bourgeoisie because it was not traditional art. Its characteristics were:
– Independent artists and outside the conventions
– Painting in the open air
– Study of light and color
– The theme was to capture the passage of time, and the colors are not mixed on the palette but in the viewer’s retina. The artists: Monet, Renoir, Pisarro, Degas, Sisley, Berthe Morisot
– Impressionist sculpture, Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudel, will approach Impressionism due to the unfinished character of their sculptures.
Architecture
In the 19th century, architecture incorporated the new materials and technologies provided by the Industrial Revolutions: cast iron and cast iron, steel, and concrete. The new buildings: markets and railway stations had iron as their main material.
The architectural contributions of the Chicago School stand out:
In October 1871, a fire destroyed much of the city of Chicago, and increasingly taller buildings began to be built. This was possible thanks to the use of new materials such as iron, steel, and glass. Also, the introduction of electricity and elevators allowed the construction of taller buildings.
Art Nouveau
Artistic renewal between the 19th and 20th centuries.
– Break with the past: Create a new, young, free, and modern art.
– Craftsmanship is valued: Without renouncing industrial advances.
– Democratize art: Everyday objects have an aesthetic value. There is no difference between major and minor arts.
– Inspired by nature: Vegetal and floral elements are intertwined. The curved line predominates.
Glossary and Vocabulary
Acculturation: The modification of a culture as a result of contact with another culture.
Berlin Conference: A conference that made rules for the colonization of Africa by Europeans.
Boer Wars: Wars fought in South Africa between the British and Dutch settlers (1880-1881 and 1899-1902).
Boxer Rebellion: A Chinese uprising against foreign influence in China (1899-1901).
Colony: A country or region that is exploited and governed by another country.
Exploitation: The use of something or someone to your own advantage.
Imperialism: A system in which a country imposes its rule over another country or region.
Metropole: The parent state of a colony.
Opium Wars: Wars fought between China and Britain and France that forced China to open up to trade with European colonial powers (1839-1842 and 1856-1860).
Resettlement: The act of people moving to another place to live.
Second Industrial Revolution: A period of rapid industrialization in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.