Colonialism

We explain what colonialism is, what its causes and consequences are, and historical examples. Also, imperialism and neocolonialism.

What is colonialism?

Colonialism is a form of political, social and economic domination in which a dominant country (the metropolis) establishes its control over territories and populations outside its borders (the colonies). Colonial control can be direct, through military occupation; or indirectly, through the establishment of local governments subordinate to the metropolis.

Through colonialism, military powers take over the lands and economic resources of colonized territories. To maintain this control, they subject the inhabitants of the colonies through different political, economic and social mechanisms.

This form of domination dates back to ancient times and it was characteristic of large States, which established colonies to secure resources and trade routes, and increase their power. However, colonialism reached its peak between the 15th and 20th centuries when European explorations led to the colonization of vast territories in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania.

• See also: Colonial economy

Characteristics of colonialism

Among the main characteristics of colonialism are:

• Economic exploitation. The metropolis benefits economically at the expense of the colony, through the extraction of natural resources and the exploitation of labor.
• political domination. The metropolis imposes its political system on the colony to control political and administrative decisions.
• cultural imposition. On many occasions, the metropolis imposes its culture, language and traditions on the colony with the aim of consolidating its control and assimilating the local population.
• ideological defense. Colonialism is frequently justified through ideologies of racial, civilizing or religious superiority, under the argument that it brings progress and development to the colony.

Causes of colonialism

colonialism It can respond to different economic, political or geopolitical causes which have to do with the history of colonizing nations. Metropolises are growing powers, with great development of military power, that seek to acquire greater resources to continue their growth.

In this context, among the main causes of colonialism are:

• Economic causes. Metropolises seek to obtain raw materials and natural resources that are essential for their industrial and commercial growth. Additionally, colonies allow them to expand the market for their manufactured products.
• Political causes. Colonial powers wish to increase their power and influence through territorial expansion. They also pursue national prestige by competing with other powers.
• military causes. Large states try to control strategic points that allow them to protect trade routes and project military power worldwide.
• ideological causes. The development of nationalism encourages colonial expansion under the idea of ​​national greatness and cultural superiority, and motivates nations to seek territorial dominance as a manifestation of power and prestige.
• Cultural causes. The powers seek to consolidate their cultural hegemony through the imposition of their values, traditions and beliefs.

• It may help you: Empire

Consequences of colonialism

The consequences of colonialism were very important in the formation of the contemporary world and transformed hundreds of colonized societies around the world.

Among the most important general consequences, the following stand out:

• Economic consequences. Colonial domination involved the systematic exploitation of natural resources in the colonies for the benefit of the metropolises and damaged local economies. This generated profound economic inequality because it limited the autonomous development of the colonies and created dependent economies, which lacked solid structures for industry, commerce or finance.
• Social consequences. The social structures of local populations were transformed and norms were imposed that privileged the colonizers. Many native populations lost control of their lands and their ways of life. Oppressive social organization led to the marginalization and impoverishment of colonized peoples.
• Political consequences. Colonial empires created new political borders for their own benefit and ignored pre-existing ethnic and cultural relations. This generated conflicts and wars between the colonized populations that lasted into the postcolonial periods.
• Cultural consequences. Many practices and traditions of colonized peoples were suppressed or devalued in favor of the dominant culture of the metropolis. In turn, this affected the cultural identity of colonized communities, transformed by political, economic and social violence. Furthermore, the imposition of the dominant culture also altered the social and educational structures of colonized societies.

• See also: Economic dependence

Examples of colonialism

Colonialism has been a global phenomenon with profound and lasting consequences on colonized societies and territories. Over the centuries, different European powers have subdued various regions of the world, with objectives that have ranged from economic exploitation to the expansion of political power and cultural propagation.

Some examples of colonialism are:

Colonialism in Latin America: Spanish Empire

• Location. Latin America, from the end of the 15th century to the beginning of the 19th century.
• Parent company. Spain.
• Colonized societies. Indigenous civilizations of Latin America, such as the Aztecs, Incas and Mayans, and all native populations.
• Characteristics. Conquest and colonization by the Spanish included the exploitation of natural resources, especially gold and silver, and forced conversion to Christianity.
• Consequences. The main consequences of Spanish colonialism in Latin America were the destructuring of indigenous civilizations, the establishment of an economy based on mining and agricultural exploitation, and the cultural and racial mix that gave rise to new mestizo identities.

• Spanish colonization

Colonialism in India: British Empire

• Location. India, from the mid-18th century to the mid-20th century.
• Parent company. United Kingdom.
• Colonized societies. Various towns and kingdoms of India.
• Characteristics. The British colonial administration reorganized the Indian economy to benefit the metropolis, including the production of raw materials and the import of British manufactured goods.
• Consequences. The main consequences of British colonialism in India were deindustrialization, the impoverishment of the rural population and the rise of a nationalist movement that eventually led to independence in 1947.

Colonialism in Africa: Belgian Congo

• Location. Congo, from the end of the 19th century to 1960.
• Parent company. Belgium.
• Colonized societies. Peoples and ethnicities of the Congo.
• Characteristics. Belgian colonization established the intensive exploitation of natural resources, especially rubber and minerals, under a regime of private property that only benefited the metropolis.
• Consequences. The death of millions of Congolese from colonial violence, forced labor and disease generated deep social and economic devastation in the Congo, marked by the disintegration of social structures and political stability.

Colonialism in Southeast Asia: French Indochina

• Location. Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century.
• Parent company. France.
• Colonized societies. Vietnamese, Laotian and Cambodian societies.
• Characteristics. French colonization in Southeast Asia was characterized by the imposition of French culture and language, and economic exploitation through the production of rice, rubber, and other agricultural products for export.
• Consequences. French colonization in Southeast Asia resulted in the rise of nationalist and communist movements that led to decades of conflict, including the Indochina War and the Vietnam War, and the struggle for Vietnam's independence and reunification.

• See also: Vietnam War

Colonialism in South Africa: Netherlands

• Location. South Africa, from the 17th century to the mid-20th century.
• Parent company. Netherlands (later the United Kingdom).
• Colonized societies. Indigenous peoples such as the Khoikhoi, San and Xhosa, and later Black Africans.
• Characteristics. European colonizers established the apartheid system in South Africa, which segregated the population by race and granted political and economic privileges to the white minority. In addition, they used military force to expand territorial dominance and control natural resources, especially in mining regions.
• Consequences. Apartheid left a legacy of deep racial and economic inequality in South Africa, with institutionalized segregation affecting the education, health and economic opportunities of the black majority. The fight against apartheid led by Nelson Mandela and other leaders became one of the most important symbols against European colonialism.

• Apartheid

Colonialism and imperialism

The terms “colonialism” and “imperialism” refer to similar processes of political domination, but they don't mean exactly the same.

The term “imperialism” refers to a broad set of strategies and practices used by a nation to extend its influence and control over other regions of the world. This may include economic, political, cultural or military dominance over foreign territories, without necessarily implying direct physical occupation.

Instead, the term “colonialism” refers to a specific form of imperialism that involves the direct occupation and administration of foreign territories. The dominant power exercises direct control over the subject territory, imposing its political, economic, social and cultural administration, with the main objective of exploiting resources and establishing strategic control.

• Imperialism

Neocolonialism

The term “neocolonialism” is used to refer to a form of colonial relationship that operates without military control and without the direct administration of subject societies. This form of domination operates through economic pressures (such as mercantilism or corporate globalization) and cultural imperialism (the assimilation of colonial values ​​by a local elite), to impose their interests on the dominated nations.

It is a form of submission typical of today, which is established between the so-called developed and underdeveloped countries. It is a contemporary form of domination and exploitation that operates through asymmetric economic, political and cultural relations, maintaining and expanding global disparities in power and wealth.

References

• Ackermann, M.E. (2008). 1750 to 1900; Africa, imperialism and the partition of; Africa, Portuguese colonies in; Arabian Peninsula and British Imperialism; British Empire in Southern Africa; Leopold II. Encyclopedia of World Historyvol. IV: Age of Revolution and Empire: 1750 to 1900. Facts on File.
• Magdoff, H., Webster, R.A., and Nowell, C.E. (2023). Western colonialism. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com
• Wright, T. E. F and Wright, E. (Eds.). (2015). Colonialism; Imperialism. A Dictionary of World History. Oxford University Press.