Imperialism- More Problems Than Benefits Essays

Imperialism- More Problems Than Benefits Essays Imperialism- More Problems Than Benefits Essay Imperialism- More Problems Than Benefits Essay Imperialism resulted in more problems than benefits In cases throughout the beginning of the 20th century, Imperialism has proven to result in dominantly more problems than benefits. Imperialism essentially describes the acquisition, administration and exploitation of an area of land and its youthful resources for the benefit of the power/s that control it. Usually the dominance of powerful empires using other countries for their productions ended in disaster and death.They tried to benefit from the gains of imperialism, taking over a country or territory with the intent of dominating the economic, political and social life of the people in the nation. Throughout the age of Imperialism; 1850-1914, the superior powers (empires) used the act of Imperialism to justify their motives. The causes of this were numbered, starting with the industrial revolution; that called for a need for resources to fuel industrial production in Europe and the United States. The resources would have had to come from Africa and Asia as their colonies were seen as barbaric and easily overtaken.There was economic competition between the European nations, for new markets to sell their goods. There was also a strong need for European nations to add colonies to their empires as a measure of national greatness. There was particularly an increase in racism, as the superior powers were more technologically advanced and believed that their race’ was superior to others, fuelling the rise in racism. The many Europeans and Americans felt they had the right dominate the several people and colonies of Asia and Africa.Following the path of Social Darwinism; the idea that those who were fittest for survival and success were superior to others and because of this, Europeans felt they had the right and duty to bring progress to other nations and to Christianise their people, civilising them and westernising’ them. Although through all the dominance of the early 20th century, there were some benefits to Imperialism. The local warfare in the imperialised colonies was reduced; there was an improvement in sanitation and a production of hospitals that led to increased lifespan.New schools also led to an increase in literacy and an overall picture of economic growth. Local government officials were used and there was a goal to develop future leaders and government institutions that were based on European styles with local rules. Despite the new prosperity of all the new facilities, the problems of Imperialism showed to outweigh the benefits significantly. There was a loss homeland and independence and cultural recognition, men were forced to work in European owned mines and farms and there was distain for traditional culture and admiration of the European culture which led to identity problems throughout.Europeans started to divide up Africa with artificial boundaries and separated kinship groups and united rivals. There was a direct control from the Europeans over the local colonies, foreign officials were brought in to rule over them, and there was no self-ruling. The goal’ was assimilation; where the minority group adopts the customs of the prevailing culture. The government institutions were only based on European styles and people governed in a fatherly way where their needs were provided for but they weren’t given any rights.As it’s shown, the problems of Imperialism were much more evident than the benefits as it often resulted in disaster and death of another culture and its people. An example of Imperialism that showed nothing but death and disaster is the Belgium Congo and the rubber trade that King Leopold of Belgium tried to gain profit of. Although Ivory was the first crop from the Congo, the invention of the tyre by the Dunlop Rubber Company in 1890 led to forming the foundation of the horrific exploitation of the people in the Congo.The invention set of a bicycling craze which coincided with the motor car invention in Europe and prompted an Imperialistic act upon the rubber trees found in the Congo as the raw material was needed more than ever and factories couldn’t get enough of it. When King Leopold overpowered the Congo, in need for the rubber trade, workers of the inferior colonies were set to go through forests, having often to climb trees to get to the vines which had to be slit for the rubber sap to bleed. The gatherers had to dry the sa p/syrup so it coagulated and it formed a rubber.The process was done by the workers having to spread the rubber onto their bodies, despite it being very painful when the rubber was pulled off. The men had to walk over 30 kilometres carrying heavy baskets of rubber on their heads, of which was then weighed by European agents at their houses. The working men weren’t even paid in money or supplies, only by cloth, beads or salt. A horrific price to pay for rubber, if there was any suggestion of resistance by the Congolese they were treated with force and severity.The policy of cutting off hands and feet were used, as punishment and nor woman nor children were spared. Often if the men refused anything, their children would have their hand cut off. These also prompted diseases brought from the Europeans, including the foreign case of smallpox. The human cost of the Belgium Congo was overwhelming, within the 40 years of his occupation there, King Leopold II killed approximately 10 0 00 000 Congolese, more than the Jewish holocaust in World War II.Imperialism, was evidently the source of many deaths in the late 19th century and early 20th century, and resulted in the destruction of many cultural lands and practices, prompting grief and severe suffrage among colonies. Through fear and power, the dominance of empires brought only destruction through Imperialism. The problems that were caused, were too much to solve, they overshone the benefits and proved that Imperialism caused more problems than benefits.