Lecture 21: Waves Of Imperialism

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Lecture 21 Waves Of Imperialism
1. What Is Imperialism? 2. Early Imperialism 3.
Late Imperialism 4. Causes Of Late
Imperialism 5. End Of Imperialism 6.
Consequences Of Imperialism
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Defining Term
What is Imperialism?
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What Is Imperialism?
1. Narrow Definition Formal Colonies 2. Broad
Definition Asymmetric Power Relationship 3.
Doyles (1986, 45) Definition
Empire, then, is a relationship, formal or
informal, in which one state controls the
effective political sovereignty of another
political society. It can be achieved by force,
by political collaboration, by economic, social
or cultural dependence. Imperialism is simply
the process or policy of establishing or
maintaining empire.
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Why Study Imperialism?
1. Dominates Global Politics 1500-1960 2.
Legacy Of Imperialism -- Grenada In The
Commonwealth -- Benin In The Franc Zone --
Philippines President, Senate, And House --
African Borders -- Dependency Theorists
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Consequences of Imperialism
No Major Impact
Explains Everything
Length of Occupation? Nature of Occupying
Country? Path to Independence? Geographic
Location? Post-Independence Decisions? Issue
Area? Other Intervening Variables?
Does the impact vary with
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Phases of Imperialism
1. Ancient History Rome And Greece 2. Modern
Era A) Early Imperialism 1500-1869 B) Late
Imperialism 1870-1960 3. Early Imperialism A)
Role Of Government Is Limited B) Form Depends On
Characteristics Of The Area -- Western Form
Americas, Australia, -- Eastern Form Africa
And Asia
Transportation Revolution
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Late Imperialism
1. Transitional Period 1820-1869 --
Consolidation Of State Control -- British East
India Company -- Reluctant Consolidation 2.
Late Imperialism 1870-1960 -- Scramble For
Africa Race For Colonies -- Strong Central
Governments In Metropole -- Industrial
Revolution Steam And Guns -- Explosion In Trade
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Comparing Early and Late Imperialism
Time Period Method of Finance Extent of
Political Control State Power in the
Metropole Government Role Economic Era Enabling
Technology
Early 1500-1820 Private Limited Limited Protection
Markets Commercialization Ocean Going Sail
Late 1870-1914 Public Extensive Extensive Occupati
on Markets Industrialization Steamships
Railroads
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Theories Of Late Imperialism

• Hobson
• Coalition Of Interests Highjack The State
• 2. Lenin
• Imperialism As The Highest Stage Of Capitalism
• 3. Schumpeter
• Militarism And Distortion Of Capitalism

What are the Casual Mechanism Behind Each Theory?
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Hobsons Imperialism
Under Consumption
Need Exports
Demand Crisis
Capitalism
Need to Export Capital
Excessive Savings
Investment Crisis
Coalition Big Finance, Pro-Export, Military, Bure
aucracy, Landed Aristocracy
Capture Government Policy Imperialism
Solutions 1) Redistribute Income 2) More
Democratic System Focus Metropole Characteristics
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Lenins Theory of Imperialism
Financial and Industrial Concentration
Demand Crisis
Impoverishment Of Workers
Collapse of Capitalism
Capitalism
Excessive Savings
Investment Crisis
Marx Stage I
Imperialism Secure Export Markets
Great Power Competition In Periphery
Great Power War
Solutions None Focus Metropole Characteristics
Lenin Stage II
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Schumpeters Model of Imperialism
(-)
Capitalism
Imperialism
()
()

• Domestic Interest Groups
• That Favor Imperialism
• Monopoly Traders
• Protected Sectors
• Military
• Bureaucrats

History of Militarized Society And Prevalence of
Militarized Beliefs
Solutions Improve Economic Liberalism Get
Government Out of Economy Focus Metropole
Characteristics
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International Causes Of Late Imperialism

• Collapse Of Free Trade After 1873
• 2. The Security Dilemma and Balance of Power
• -- Unification Of Germany Italy
• -- Minor Shifts In The Balance Of Power
• -- Externalization of Competition
• 3. Social Darwinism

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Doyles General Framework
International Structure
Periphery Target
Metropole
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Doyles Model

• Periphery
• Tribal vs.Patriarchal
• United vs. Factionalized

• Metropole
• Open vs. Closed Economy
• Civil/Military Relations
• Balance of Interest Groups

• Extent of Empire
• Type Formal vs. Informal
• Fall of Empire

• Transnational Agents
• Military
• Bureaucrats
• Merchants/Traders/Investors
• Missionaries

• International System
• Anarchy Balance of Power
• Polarity Multipolarity
• Bipolarity
• Unipolarity

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Adding Disease to Doyles Model
Disease Depopulates
Formal Settler Colony
Tribal
Formal
No Depopulation
Patrimonial
Informal
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Snyders Explanation for Imperialism
1. Snyder Realist Cognitive Explanations
Cannot Explain -- True Cause Domestic Politics
Economics 2. Assumptions Of The Myth Of
Empire A) Power Is A Zero Sum Game B) Resources
Are Cumulative C) Offense Is Dominant And
Expansion Is Cheap D) States Bandwagon Rather
Than Balance 3. Myth Persists Despite Evidence
To The Contrary
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Snyders Explanation
1. Imperial Interests Have Historical
Advantage 2. Imperial Coalition 3. Log-rolling
Leads To Hyper-Expansion 4. Timing Of
Industrialization Alters Coalition -- Early
Industrializers Are More Democratic -- Late
Industrializers Are More Cartelized -- Very Late
Industrializers Are Centralized
Hi
Level Of Imperialism
Lo
Degree of Centralization
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Snyders Myths Of Empire
EARLY DEMOCRATIC (US, UK)
LATE CARTELIZED (GERMANY, JAPAN)
VERY LATE UNIFIED (SOVIET UNION)
EXTENSIVE LOG-ROLLING
LIMITED LOG-ROLLING
MINIMAL LOG-ROLLING
STRONG
WEAK
WEAK
MYTH OF EMPIRE DOMINO THEORY CULT OF
OFFENSIVE BANDWAGONING
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End Of Imperialism
1. Surprisingly Rapid Collapse 2. Reasons For
Collapse A) Periphery Never Fully Incorporated
Into The Core B) Rise Of Nationalism C) War
Exhausts Imperial Powers D) Super Powers Oppose
Imperialism E) Free Trade Ideology Limits Need
For Empires 3. Imperialism Suffered From
Internal Contradictions
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Consequences Of Imperialism
Consequences Vary From State To State A) Length
Of Occupation Varies Greatly B) Type Of
Colonial Control Varied Greatly C) Path To
Independence Varied Greatly 1. Imperialism
Results In Heterogeneous States 2. Inhibits
Development Of Indigenous Democratic
Institutions 3. Imperialism Contributed to
Poverty In The Third World
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Consequences Of Imperialism
1. Did Colonization Cause The Core To Become
Rich? 2. Were The Colonies Profitable? 3. Is
The Poverty Today In The South Due To Colonial
Exploitation?
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Student Debate
Proposition The United States is a modern empire.

• Split into three groups of seven students.
• Three Teams Support, Oppose, Judges.
• 10 minutes of preparation.
• Maximum of 4 arguments for your position.
• Eight minutes to present your argument.
• Then open to rebuttal and Judges questions.