By: Sedona Coste, Taylor Ginter, Kevin Jiang, Valeria Ornelas, Shuoyang Jessica Sun

Ultimate significance of IR > allowed regions that industrialized in nineteenth century to increase wealth in comparison to those that didn’t ◦ Gap between industrialized regions (Europe,

North America) and nonindustrialized regions (Africa, Asia, Latin America) grew steadily thought nineteenth century.

◦ Pattern of uneven global development was built into structure of world economy

◦ “Lopsided world” > world of rich land and poor

Third World: term used to describe Africa, Asia, Latin America◦ Gap measured by comparing average income per

person in “developed” countries to average income per person in the Third World.

◦ Previous to 1750 average standard of living approx. same worldwide, Euro still poor agricultural society.

◦ 1970: average person in wealthiest countries had income twenty-five times greater than average person in poorest countries of Africa and Asia.

Industrialization opened gaps in average wealth and well-being among countries and regions. ◦ Example: GB had higher than average standard of

living in 1830 (first to industrialize) but lead gradually narrowed when other Euro countries and US industrialized

Income per person stagnated in the Third World before 1913◦ Only after 1945 did TW countries make any real

economic progress, starting with industrialization.◦ Lack of income direct indicators of disparities in

food and clothing, health and education, life expectancy and general material well-being

Income disparities caused lots of debate◦ Some say West used science, technology,

capitalist organizations to create wealth ◦ Others argue that West used political/economic

power to steal much of its riches (ex: colonialism and expansion)

◦ 1913: $38 billion in world trade, 25 times of 1800 Prices of raw and manufactured goods lower in 1913

◦ Economy centered in and “directed by” Europe◦ 1815: Britain still owned India, Canada,

Australia◦ 1820: 50% of British productions exported

50% of that in Europe 6% in India

◦ 1850: 25% bought by India, 16% by Europe

◦ 1846: Corn Laws repealed making Britain world’s best market until 1914 Free importing

◦ 1920: Over ¼ railroads of world in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Australia Transportation costs lowered, raised economic opportunities Connected seaports with cities inland Steam helped transportation by sea and land

Paddle wheels on rivers Steel replaced iron which replaced wood

◦ New territories and agricultural products◦ Normal transports: spices, tea, sugar, coffee◦ New transports: jute, rubber, cotton, coconut oil◦ Investments in ports-fast and cheap unloading◦ Intercontinental trading from Suez and Panama Canals◦ Transoceanic telegraph lines◦ By 1914, Europe invested over $40 billion overseas,

mainly Great Britain, France, Germany◦ ¾ European investments towards US, Canada,

Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, and other European countries

◦ Native American Indians and Australian aborigines victims from diseases, liquor and weapons of Western society

◦ Royal Navy and British Merchant Marine led to British power

◦ Timber access in Canada, India, Burma, Australia◦ Victorian strategy-recording all sources of food

and water, coasts, and inlets◦ Pirates

1810’s and 1820’s N Africa, Red Sea, Persian Gulf 1830’s and 1840’s E and SE Asian Seas made safe

◦ Iron ships, steam engines, electric telegraph

◦ Capacity of British navy exceeded all other countries in 1880

◦ 1830-GB 45% of world trade◦ Could transport goods cheaply, “sophistication”

led to upperhand◦ Textile industry leader-made steam engines, iron

ships, military hardware, railway engines◦ Money from trade overseas put into Bank of

England◦ Jewish bank-Rothschilds, “sixth great power”

The Imperialization of Europe was in the seizure of territory in Africa◦ France had begun conquering Algeria in 1830 and

by 1880; France, Italy, and Spain all had colonists in Africa

◦ At this time in South Africa, the British had taken possession of Cape Town after fighting with the Dutch for territory during the Napoleonic Wars. This pushed the some Dutch settlers farther inland (The Great Trek)

◦ The Dutch that had settled in Cape Town were known as Boers or Afrikaners. Along with British colonists, they moved towards self government around 1853. By 1880, the Afrikaners and British colonists took control of much of South Africa.

Europeans had previously owned trading posts along Africa’s western coastal line as a result of the age of exploration

Between 1880 and 1900, European countries began to scramble for African territorial possessions◦ By 1900, the whole continent had been split amongst European

powers except for Ethiopia and Liberia

Not only had the Africans fallen victim to the imperialism during the Scramble for Africa, but the Dutch did too

Dutch settler republics succumbed to Imperialism as the British conquered them in the South African War (1899-1902)◦ Cecil Rhodes of Britain established proletariats in

Bechuanaland (now Botswana) and Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe and Zambia) Rhodes wrote, “I contend that we [English] are the finest race in

the world and the more of the world we inhabit the better it is for the human race.”

◦ In 1910, the British territories were united with the old Cape Colony, which established the Union of South Africa

◦ Since it was a “self-governing” colony, the Afrikaners began to use their numerical superiority to gradually take political power

Leopold II of Belgium focused on central Africa. He sent Henry M. Stanley to the Congo basin to establish trading stations and “treaties” with African chiefs◦ Stanley’s encounter with a missing missionary and

explorer, David Livingstone, in Africa led to the famous quote “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”

◦ Leopold’s intrusion into the Congo led to an “African Fever” with a gold rush mentality for territory "The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the

taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much." – Joseph Conrad in Heart of Darkness

In order to lay some basic rules for European imperialist competition in Africa, Jules Ferry of France and Otto von Bismarck of Germany arranged the Berlin Conference in 1884 and 1885◦ The conference established the principle that

European claims to African territory had to rest on “effective occupation” and had to be recognized by other states, recognized Leopold’s personal rule of the Congo, and agreed to work to stop slavery and slave trade in Africa

Colonies became a symbol and Europe believed they were necessary for military power and prestige and essential for nations.

Contemporary critics believe conservative leaders used imperialism to hide class struggle at home.◦ Leaders used propaganda to stress benefits of

colonies.

Economic motives (esp. Great Britain)◦ Britain was facing other industrializing countries

(France, Germany, USA), so it exploited its colonies (i.e. India)

◦ Britain gained colonies in 1880s when they thought France and Germany would control the New World.

However, economic gains were limited.◦ Colonies were often too poor to buy Euro. Goods,

however all territories were prized by Euro.

Missionaries wanted to spread religion. Soldiers sought to raise in ranks in colonial

empires Increase in technology imperialism

◦ Machine gun: best weapon of the time◦ Quinine: controlled malaria

Huge gap between Euro. and Non-Euro’s technology

Europe saw it necessary to make a mark on the “barbaric lands”◦ Exhibits Social Darwin theories of competition.◦ Europe saw the conquest of inferiors as morally

correct. Social Darwinism & the competition

between races imperialism

Western society did not rest case for the empire to be solely on conquest and Darwinian struggle.◦ Favorite idea was that Europeans should “civilize”

other groups of people, especially non-white. Nonwhites would eventually receive benefits of the

new, modern cities Economy, medicine and a general higher standard of

living

◦ Might be ready for self government eventually

Many Americans adopted the “white man’s burden” ◦ Important factor in the decision to rule (not

liberate) the Philippines◦ Sincerely believed that they had reached the

height of their civilizations and now had to help the lesser people

◦ Catholic Protestants in Africa fought against Islam to create schools to promote the Gospel Many first contact was through the mission schools Ibo in Nigeria became highly Christianized

◦ Occasional successes were contrasting to the failures of missionaries in India, China and the Islamic world Preached in vain

Did increase # of Christians “many missionaries had drunk at the well of

European Racism” prevented them from doing better

Expansion of empire aroused sharp bitter critics Attack was delivered in 1902 after S. African war

◦ English economist J.A. Hobson believed that Imperial possessions did not benefit the country as a whole, that only “special-interest” groups would

◦ He also argued that the quest for such empire distracted from the important things such as domestic reform and closing the gap between the rich and the poor. Arguments not very persuasive however, most people were

stuck on the idea that imperialism benefitted everyone Enthusiasm ensued

Bayly, C. A., and Alan Atkinson. Atlas of the British Empire. New York: Facts on File, 1989. Print.

"How I Found Dr. Livingstone: HistoryWiz primary source Africa." HistoryWiz: for students, teachers and lovers of history. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2012. <http://www.historywiz.org/primarysources/livingstone.htm>.

McKay, John P.. A history of Western society. 9th ed. Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, 2007. Print.

Rotberg, Robert I., and Miles F. Shore. The founder: Cecil Rhodes and the pursuit of power. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print.

excerpt, Joseph Conrad -. "Heart of Darkness: HistoryWiz primary source Africa." HistoryWiz: for students, teachers and lovers of history. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2012. <http://www.historywiz.org/primarysources/heartofdarkness.htm>.

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