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... Hobsbawm, the period from 1875-1914 was an ‘Age of Empire’ marked by ‘new imperialism’ and was ‘not only an economic and political but [also] a cultural phenomenon.” This new imperialism was driven by a number of factors, which can be classified as political, cultural, social, technological and/or economic. At the beginning of this period it gradually became accepted that, “no major adjustments of the western European boundaries were imminent, [and consequently] national ambitions were diverted to territories beyond Europe. ... The fact that there is a finite amount of land in the world fueled some nations’ sense of urgency to acquire territory to the point where “preemptive imperialism” was practiced, whereby territory was acquired to prevent other nations from benefiting from it and not because of any other foreseeable benefits. Popular sentiment was an additional driving force behind European Imperialism of the period; religious and humanitarian idealism as well as the widespread desire for national prestige both contributed to European imperialistic expansion. Finally, technological advances, especially in transportation, medicine, and weaponry, greatly facilitated imperialism during the period. In short, a vast array of forces propelled European imperialism between 1875 and 1914. Following is a discussion of how the various forces outlined above influenced two European nations’ imperialistic behavior. ... Yet by the end of the period, for reasons to be discussed below, both were important actors in the European imperialistic expansion between 1875 and 1914. One force driving imperialistic expansion common to both countries, which will be explored in the last section of this paper, is both the important technological advances of the period and the increasing availability of older technologies, both of which enabled Europeans to further expand their overseas possessions.
GERMANY
German imperialism during this period was the consequence of a diverse set of factors. ... Finally, emerging social theories and the activities of private citizens both contributed to German imperialism leading up to World War I.
The unification of Germany in 1871 was one of the critical turning points in nineteenth century European history, as the newly unified Germany introduced a new and uncertain dynamic into the Continental balance of power, which threatened to upset the status quo, and greatly influenced European imperialistic behavior leading up to the dawn of the Great War. Initially Germany, under Chancellor Otto von Bismarck’s rule, attempted to maintain the European status quo. ... " The Depression and the protectionist policies it brought about were major driving forces behind German and, more generally, European imperialism, “The widespread depression, deflation and consequent attempt to preserve and among each other to compete for markets after 1873, was the most important incentive for Western… imperialism and colonialism.”
Bismarck, like many of his contemporaries, saw imperialism as a way to safeguard and extend domestic economic opportunities; however, he opined that governmental actions should be limited to placing private German chartered companies and entrepreneurs under the government’s protection. ... )
In addition to promoting German economic interests, imperialism was used as a political tool. ...
Another force driving European imperialism was the theory of Social Darwinism. ...
BRITIAN
Many of the significant forces driving British imperialism in the years 1875-1915 can be classified as economic.
Approximate Word count = 2539
Approximate Pages = 10.2
(250 words per page double spaced)
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