Colonialism and Imperialism part of the European Essay Example For Students

Colonialism and Imperialism part of the European Essay culture and while thesepolicies enhanced the old European empire, they were detrimental to thepeople of the colonies.Discuss. To what extent do you agree with this statement? Use evidence fromyour SOSE book to support your point of view. During a period after 1870, there was a rise in European interest to obtainoverseas empires, which to the European empires seemed politically weak andvulnerable. They greedily grabbed these empires to boost their own economicsystem and power. They often told the peoples of the colonised country thatthey were inferior to the empire that ruled them. The effects of thecolonisation had a huge impact on the economies of these countries and thepeople who lived within them. Power was a major driving force behind the fight to obtain the most amountof colonies. In the Late 1800s acquiring colonies had become in fashionand the prestige of owning these colonies drove the empire to attaining anever-growing number. The military force number would have grown with evercolony obtained therefore giving the mother country more power andprestige, and gaining India into the empire was like finding a sparklinggem in a bucket of coals, although the native people of India had such adifferent way of life that very few Englishmen could comprehend. With the British Empire comprising of India, it was able to boost theeconomic system of Britain, with a vast amount raw materials and a largepopulation, which made labour inexpensive, the British profited greatly atthe expense of the Indian people. The trade routes in India madetransporting the raw materials out of the country and importing cheap goodsinto the country simple, and once again at the expense of the Indianpeople. When the industrial revolution arrived, the British were able toexport cotton to England and produce cotton-made products in factories muchcheaper than if someone in India were to do this, many Indian lost theirway of life, as the factory-made cotton products were much cheaper than thehand-made India products. The India culture was very different to anything the British Empire hadever witnessed before. The British were very prejudice towards the Indiansand felt that the Indians were inferior to themselves. Charles DarwinsSurvival of the Fittest theory seemed to support this, giving the Britishgrounds to fell superior. They forced their religion and culture upon theIndians and convinced them that anything British was better than anythingIndian was, and the Indians felt inferior to the British. Many Indianchildren were taught English and British history in schools, leaving noroom for the history and culture of the country the resided in. Although the industrial revolution and the grab for colonies helped developthe British Empire into a powerful kingdom, these things were verydetrimental towards the people residing in these colonies, as was theBritishs superiority complex. Dominique Fazzari 10i