IMPERIALISM - Effects AP World History

Imperialism- Economic Effects Ways of Working Colonial rule changed how subject population worked Old ways of working began to fade away Subsistence farming diminished in place of wage work, or cash crops Artisans suffered at the hands of cheaper, machine produced goods from Europe Asian and African merchants squeezed out by European commercial firms

Economics of Coercion New ways of working came from demands of colonial powers Compulsory (Statute) and unpaid labor on public projects (railroads, gov’t. buildings, etc) Cultivation system (Indonesia) – peasants required to use 20% or more of land for cash crops for tax obligations

Coffee plantation, Java

Economics of Coercion Belgian Congo (Leopold II of Belgium) Most infamous case of colonial forced labor cruelty Private co. forced villagers to collect rubber and ivory, punished those unable to meet quotas with death, dismembered. Natives unable to grow own crops and starved.

Cash Crop Agriculture Asian and Africans had already been part of international trade in cash crops Colonial rule occasionally benefitted local farmers British encouragement of rice production in Burma Standards of living increased Some Africans took initiative to develop export agriculture (cocoa from cacao trees) When cash crops were compatible with food production, farmer’s income improved.

Wage Labor Another new form of working Subject peoples needed money from loss of land Were forced on order of colonial authorities Subject peoples sought employment in European enterprises (plantations, mines)

Wage Labor – Southeast Asia Southeast Asia – huge plantations (sugar, tea, rubber, tobacco, sisal) Impoverished workers came long distances British facilitated migration of millions of Indians to work sites elsewhere in Empire Mines (Malay) - tin Horrible living conditions, extremely dangerous

Wage Labor - Africa Africa – plantations, people migrated to for wage labor more due to loss of land In settler colonies, colonial gov’ts obtained large tracts of lands that was previously home to African societies Some Africans stayed on land as squatters, but most displaced to “native reserves” Mines (South Africa) gold and diamonds

Economic Foreign Investment Infrastructure projects to benefit European investment Railroads, Canals, telegraphs Largely funded by Europeans, but built by subject peoples