New Imperialism

1. New Imperialism Responses to Modernity:

2. “Old Imperialism”-vs “New Imperialism” • “OLD” • Occurred between 16th and 18th centuries • Set up trading companies along establish trading routes in the world • To intercept goods, and gain tax money and monopoly over goods • Acquisition of territory not the norm (except for Spain in Americas and Portugal in Brazil) • Economic penetration of non-European regions in the 19th century • “NEW” • Began in 1870s-- colonized Asia and Africa by using military force to take control of local governments • Exploiting local economies for raw materials required by Europe’s growing industry (industrial rev) • Imposing Western values to benefit the “backwards” colonies & to make the acquisition of resources more efficient • What choices do the non-western civilizations have in response to this aggressiveness?

3. Responses to Modernity • Tribute Compromise: • Submit to Western demands and pressures, outwardly, and cultivate cultural institutions internally • Compete with the West • Adopt Western methods to complete militarily, economically compete with Western Pressures • Resist/Assert “indigenous difference” • Shun Western ideas and institutions. Revive traditional, indigenous ideas and institutions to thwart Western influence • Often leads to a myopic /emasculated/terse interpretation of historical past • Isolationism • Assimilate • Adopt Western norms: cosmologically, politically, etc