Chapter 2 - Understanding Colonialism

What is Colonialism? What is Imperialism?

Colonialism is……. The establishment and maintenance for an extended time, of rule over an alien people that is separate and subordinate to the ruling power - King (1976)  The policy or practice of acquiring political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically. – Oxford Dictionary (1999)  The establishment of domination of a geographically extended political unit, most often inhabited by people of a different race and culture, where this domination is political and economic and the colony exists subordinated to and dependent on the mother country.- Blauer

Colonialism is……. Colonialism is often defined as a system of government, which seeks to defend an unequal system of commodity exchange – Corbridge (1993).  Said (1979) maintains that colonialism exited in order to impose the superiority of the European way of life on that of the Oriental, a colonization of minds and bodies as much as that of space and economies and ‘much harder to transcend or throw off’.

Imperialism is……. Some Definitions of Imperialism: ‘A policy of extending a country’s power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means’ (Concise Oxford Dictionary, 1999) The above definition leads to discrepancies in the chronology of imperialism. For example, Maxist (Leninist) analysts believe that this monopoly stage of capitalism only began around the start of the twentieth century (Bell 1980) Another more broadly reaching definition is, ‘both formal colonies and privileged positions in markets, protected sources of materials and extended opportunities for profitable employment of labour’ (Barratt-Brown, 1974: 22)

Principal Processes of Colonialism

Phases of Colonialism and Imperialism

Spanish and Portuguese Colonialism

Mercantile Colonialism – Plantation System and Forced Labor

Mercantile Colonialism – The Plantation System and Forced Labor

Mercantile Colonialism – Intensified Trade Links By the mid 1700s, Europeans were trading with Asia and coastal Africa without settlement In Asia, Europeans traded and resided in intermediary ports such as Macau

Mercantile Colonialism – Intensified Trade Links Non Europeans were regarded as cultural equals No extensive colonial settlements in Asia/Africa No dominant- subordinate relationship yet

Mercantile Colonialism – Intensified Trade Links Trade in Asia and Africa began to expand. European Trading Companies began to systematically organize it Increased European presence, and involvement in local politics