Outline of the April 27th Lecture / A. Ersoy

Imperialism and Colonialism

Imperialism: Vast modern and unprecedented system of exploitation, control and domination.

Colonialism (almost always a consequence of imperialism): implanting settlements on distant territories in an endeavor to domesticate, transform and reorder ruled societies.

Modern imperialism vs traditional “empire building”:

Old empires, usually tribute collecting entities, determined by ideologies of universal kingship, religion, and moved by motives such as territorial expansion, glory, plunder and conversion.
Imperialism begins with the emergence of modern global economy, and involves a new scale and conception of control and penetration (economical, political, cultural) – a power and influence that transcends the formal boundaries of the empire itself.

First phase of imperialism (Late 18th century to 1870s), the “entrepreneurial stage” – primary mover: private companies (ex: British East India Co.) – Britain emerges victorious with its superior capacity of financial management. Imperialist agenda shaped by the cherished ideal of “global free trade” – with a moral halo attached to the mission of “forcing open” world markets for a peaceful future. First stage of globalization achieved: the world becomes a vast hinterland reshaped by the particular needs and interests of Europe.

Second phase of imperialism (1870s to World War I), “New Imperialism” – Burgeoning trend, and brutal rivalry, among European powers for imperialist expansion and acquiring colonies (“the scramble for Africa”).

Determining factors behind the rise of New Imperialist rivalries:

i) Economical: unprecedented scale and aggressiveness of commercial enterprises – the age of “big business,” cartels and trusts. The advent of mass consumption and rising demands of spreading industrialism and the affluent society.
ii) Political: Competing nationalisms – imperialism as a hand-maiden of nation states (also challenged by nationalist resistance movements in the colonies). The age of mass politics and propaganda – the empire as ideological cement, promoting national prestige and boosting self-pride (“social imperialism”)
iii) Cultural: Common cultural atmosphere justifying and instigating imperialist expansion - informed by grand narratives of progress and superiority. The imperialist fantasy of the “civilizing mission” (Rudyard Kipling’s The White Man’s Burden)

Inherent “vulnerability” of empires and their global establishment: the inevitable presence “within” of the so called “inferior races,” (the Parisian suburbs) and the emergence of new and hybrid forms of knowledge (sub- and counter-cultures) – the post-colonial condition.