British Imperialism

Résumé du document

The American War of Independence (1775-1783) is referred to as the end of the first British Empire and as an evolution of the management of the colonies. Britain realized that trade might continue to bring prosperity even in the absence of colonial rule (this contributed to the extension in the 1840s and 1850s of self governing colony status as for example Canada and Australia). The old fashioned mercantilism is replaced by the laissez-faire liberalism of Adam Smith. Moreover, political changes of the management of colonies drove to social reforms too. This period around the 19th century is called: the "New Imperialism". I will divide my presentation into three parts: firstly, India and despotism; then, the nineteenth century changes; and finally, the "New Imperialism".

Extraits

[...] "But when you have once introduced machinery into the locomotion of a country, which possesses iron and coal, you are unable to withhold it from its fabrication."[5] Karl Marx considered that the railway system would become "the forerunner of a modern industry which would dissolve traditional divisions of labour: the castes."[6] In a very restrictive way, he thought that contact with Britain might be beneficial for the progress of its colonies. 3-The Debate over Empire The British imperial dominion is also debated in England. There were many discussions about interventionism upon "native" customs (banning sati, polygamy, and child marriage), about buying shares in the Suez Canal, and about extending its Egyptian protectorate to include Sudan. These questions divided the population and the politics into two groups: the jingoes (imperialists) and the little Englanders (pro nationalists). Nevertheless, in that time, pro imperialists were in power. [...]

[...] Works Cited Marx, Karl. British Rule in India.” New York Daily Tribune 8 Aug Mc Dowall, David. An Illustrated History of Britain. Edinburgh: Longman Harlow and Carter. Imperialism and Orientalism. Oxford: Blackwell Padgen, Anthony. Lords of all the World. New Haven and London: Yale University Press Said, Edward W. Culture et Impérialisme. Saint-Amand-Montrond : Fayard Web Sites Britain and the New Imperialism. Wikipedia . [...]

[...] This is the New Imperialism. New Imperialism 1-The Suez Canal The Suez Canal campaign was the project of a Frenchmen named De Lesseps. He promoted it all around Europe but he had to face refuses from the vice Roy of Egypt who feared that the canal attract "global attention and jeopardize his nation's autonomy."[7] Nevertheless once the vice Roy died, his successor accepted De Lessep's project. In 1866, De Lesseps sold public subscriptions to the canal that opened in 1869. [...]

[...] This period around the 19th century is called: the Imperialism". I will divide my presentation into three parts: firstly, India and despotism; then, the nineteenth century changes; and finally, the Imperialism”. India and Despotism 1-From Company to Crown India was called the jewel of the crown. In 1600, the British East India Company was established to develop trade in this part of the world. From the granting of its charter by Queen Elizabeth I to its transfer to the British Crown in 1858, the Company expanded its territory, insuring treaty negotiations by intrigue, double dealing, and even kidnapping. [...]

[...] 3-Critics of Imperialism by Karl Marx On the other hand, Karl Marx condemned the English system. He wrote in an American newspaper: There cannot, however, remain any doubt but that the misery inflicted by the British on Hindostan is of an essentially different and infinitely more intensive kind than all Hindostan had to suffer. Karl Marx considered that England had broken down the entire framework of India society. In centralizing governmental powers, British had interfered with territorial needs. British mismanagement drove to starvation and desertification. [...]