Essay on The Rise of Empire British Imperialism - 1463 Words

The word Empire’ which was derived from the Latin word imperium, when first used in the English language, meant independence. It was under the rule of King Henry VIII that England was called an Empire which affirmed its spiritual and temporal independence. (1) Imperialism, on the other hand, means the rule of the Empire. But this is a simplistic understanding of the term, devoid of its complex layers of meaning given to it by historical events. The term colonialism works to provide a better picture of the weight imperialism holds in our times. Ania Loomba develops the OED definition of the word colonialism from an innocuous settlement to the more insidious - the conquest and control of other peoples land and goods.(2) The†¦show more content†¦One notices that tracing the exact roots of British imperialism is a daunting task given the varied developments scattered over almost two centuries. Sir Lucas helps resolve matters when he says- The English had their age of discovery, adventure, and privateering, and after the glamour was over, there came a prosaic time in the seventeenth century when settlement began and grew as a sober matter of business.(5) The above quote not only helps in situating colonial settlement in somewhat exact historical framework, but also gives the motivation behind these settlements. The men who looked to improve their fortunes joined the colonial bandwagon. The success that the British were enjoying in their endeavours were visible in the list of territories under their control. By the 17th century the British had taken over various regions in America along with Spanish colonies such as St.Kitts, Barbados et cetera. In these colonies, constituting the present day West Indies, the British invested in sugar plantations. Since sugar crops required cheap labour the British entered into slave trade as well, bringing slaves from West Africa. Gradually the slaves were employed in the cotton plantations in Southern America ensuring more profits for the imperial masters. It was as a result of these and many such conquests that Britain became the leading industrial nation in the world by the end of the 18thShow Mor eRelatedDifference Between Formal And Informal Imperialism1721 Words   |  7 PagesDIFFERENCE BETWEEN FORMAL AND INFORMAL IMPERIALISM Name University Course Tutor Date Difference between formal and informal imperialism Throughout the history of the world, different kingdoms have been competing to expand their territories. In most cases, the expansion of theses territories has been at the expense of weaker territories that are incapable of fighting back effectively owing to different barriers . For example, the Mongols expanded their territory in less than a hundred yearsRead More Shooting an Elephant Essay1373 Words   |  6 Pagesexperiences as a British police officer, and reflects it to the nature of imperialism. He hates his job as a police officer in Moulmein because an â€Å"anti-European feeling was very bitter† due to British Empire’s dictatorship in Burma. Therefore, Orwell, a white man is being treated disrespectfully by the Burmese which allows him to hate his job and British Empire, the root of everything. However, the incident of shooting of an elephant gives him a â€Å"better glimpse †¦ of the real nature of imperialism – the realRead MoreHow British Imper ialism Led to the Rebellion in India1187 Words   |  5 Pagesvast and mighty Empire upon which the sun never set through the development and use of what is, in modern terms, referred to as Imperialism. The British approach to the colonization of India came out of: the European, specifically British, superiority mindset; the practical approach of attaining resources in return for modernization and â€Å"guardianship†; and the solidification of Britain as the world’s dominating force. Britain’s use of Imperialism, as a necessity to maintain its Empire, acted as theRead MoreEssay on Historiography of Globalization1558 Words   |  7 Pagesthe face of a diminishing role of older connections. I will define each stage of globalization with regard to the current model, the onrush of each stage of globalization in terms of older patterns in both India and China, and finally how the British empire took advantage of these preexistent linkages to bring about Modern glo balization in both India and China;all in hopes of dispelling the Eurocentrism present in the current explanation of Globalization. In order to examine each stage globalizationRead More Shooting an Elephant Essays1356 Words   |  6 PagesGeorge Orwell illustrates his experiences as a British police officer in Lower Burma, and reflects it to the nature of imperialism. Since â€Å"anti-European feeling was very bitter† due to the British Empire’s dictatorship in Burma, Orwell is being treated disrespectfully by the Burmese (12). This allows him to hate his job and the British Empire. However, the incident of shooting of an elephant gives him a â€Å"better glimpse †¦ of the real nature of imperialism – the real motives for which despotic governmentRead MoreThe Impact Of British Imperialism On Modern India1244 Words   |  5 Pagesinquiry is to analyze to what extent did British Imperialism have an effect on shaping modern India? The main source that will be discussed in this paper is the seventh book of the Spotlight on History Series called The British Raj, which explains the reasons behind the conflicts between the British Empire and Indian nationalism and assess the achievements of a memorable relationship. The whole notion behind imperialism, more often than not, is regarded as aRead MoreColonialism And Imperialism In Europe1440 Words   |  6 Pagesof the world. Imperialism can be defined as the system in which the politics, economy and culture of one part of the world are organized according to the domination of some countries over others. The imperialism that emerged in the nineteenth century was the culmination of colonialism initiated in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. But both forms of colonial domination were very different. The old colonial empires have been seen mainly in America, while the new colonial empires focused on AsiaRead MoreThe New Imperialism During the 19th Century Essay1046 Words   |  5 PagesThe New Imperialism during the 19th century throughout Africa and Asia was an influential prompt to the rise of colonialism and powerful European empires. Consisting of raw materials, markets for European business, and provided resources made the African and Asian colonies extremely ingenious for European empires. However, as the 20th century emerged, imperialism suddenly faded and became a sentiment of the past. Surely even one of the most influential empires at a certain point in time – BritainRead MoreCompare And Contrast The Old And New Imperialism1600 Words   |  7 PagesImperialism is the movement of colonizing people by gaining political and economic, cultural control of other regions. There are two types of imperialism happened in different time periods which are the old and new imperialism. The old imperialism occurred between the sixteenth and the eighteenth century. It was the time when the European powers started to expand their empires through conquest and trade with other countries. After the American Revolution, it prompted the ideas of new imperialismRead MoreSocial And Economic Effects Of British Imperialism1544 Words   |  7 Pagesby the United States, European powers, and Japan. This took place during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and marked a large pursuit of oversea territories. New imperialism spread nations influence either directly or indirectly, and als o spread the political, cultural, and economic values. Imperialism of free trade British imperial economic ideals were jarringly different from the previously prevalent mercantilist doctrines of earlier centuries. The mercantile doctrines declared that trade