The Compelling Motives of European Imperialism Essay

The Compelling Motives of Imperialism The presence of Europe in Africa in the late nineteenth century was one of extreme power. The countries of France, Britain, and Germany had especially large claims to the African continent during this time. The motives of imperialism for these countries greatly define Europe at this time. Insatiable desires for economic markets, power and political struggles, the motivating belief in Social Darwinism, and the European idea of superiority were the driving forces at the European home front in the late nineteenth century. Many of the causes for imperialism in Africa were evident in Joseph Conrad’s turn of the century novel, Heart of Darkness. Successful domination of Africa was not†¦show more content†¦Africa, Asia, and the Americas all fell victim to the greed of the Europeans. Furthermore, an â€Å"expanded market† was needed after the rise of the Industrial Revolution (Sanderson â€Å"Imperialism notes†). Surpluses of products demanded a larger community to obtain the goods. The introduction of machinery reduced the number of workers Messner 2 needed on the European home front. Imperialism provided a way in which unemployed laborers could obtain jobs and/or riches. Not all motives for imperialism were greedy and self-motivating however. The earnest desire of some to help civilize and Christianize natives was the utmost reason for imperialism. Europeans contained the belief that their customs and religious values were the sole method in living. Missionaries from throughout Europe desired to journey to foreign lands in order to teach the civilized and Christian ways of living to the natives. Often missionaries were in competition for converts, and thus supplied imperialism with other drives (Patterson, par. 10). The Social Darwinist ideas were prevalent in this time. The Europeans believed in the survival of the fittest, and it was generally accepted that the Anglo-Saxons were the superior race. In the 1890’s Rudyard Kipling published â€Å"Whiteman’s Burden†. This poem defines the white man as responsible for civilizing the â€Å"others†. It is supportive of the imperialism of other countriesShow MoreRelatedEssay about Colonialism670 Words   |  3 Pages European overseas expansion evolved from sixteenth-century colonialism driven by mercantilism to nineteenth-century nationalistic imp erialism. Both had different forces compelling them; thus different countries—although most the same—participated in each phenomenon with unique, but largely similar goals. These two forces that overtook the world are comparable as they both have the same objectives; however, mercantilism compelled colonialism while nationalism drove imperialism. 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