Adam Hartzer

Anna Metzger

Jack Erwin

Manon Green

Attitudes and Motivations Towards Imperialism

Before 1878, Africa was not primarily colonized by European nations. Resulting from the

newfound natural resources and attempts to gain national power, by 1914 Africa was mostly

under European control. Imperialistic tactics employed by the European powers allowed them to

overtake the African nations, and put their own citizens in the African territories. Due to the

ongoing political battles in Europe, many countries utilized this unclaimed land as a way to

promote their own national power. European racial entitlement and desire for political expansion

were direct motivations behind the European acquisition of African colonies between 1880 and

1914, which led to economic discontent.

Among the motives that were a driving force to expansion in Africa, a significant motive

to imperialism was European racial entitlement. In a letter to the throne of Belgium, Prince

Leopold stated his beliefs of imperialism from Belgium in Africa. In the conversation, he proves

to the world that Belgians are also an imperial people capable of dominating and enlightening

others (1). Prince Leopold wanted to impress the current king, as he will be the next in line to

receive the crown. He promises that he will continue white Belgian power and imperialism in

Africa, as he believes that African expansion is of value and play a great part in making

European power. Given that Prince Leopold was heir to the throne of Belgium and future king,

he would want an expansion of Belgiums influence across the world; however would also be
schooled enough to know to not try to take over Europe and would obviously lean toward finding

colonies outside the European realm. Similarly to Belgium, George Washington Williams, a

British lawyer and legislator also believed that imperialism was an important part of expansion

of a nations power and resources. In a letter he wrote back to Europe, he states that Henry M.

Stanley sent one white man...to make treaties with the native chiefs. All the sleight of hand tricks

had been carefully rehearsed and...was now ready for his work (4). He explains his strategies

for taking over territories in Africa and states that the deals made with the natives were practiced

to conquer their land. This method of taking over land was used in conjunction with racial

entitlement and prejudice against Africans, as Europeans believed that they were superior over

Africans. In Martial Henri Merlins speech as governor general of French Equatorial Africa in

1910, he states, we are entitled to go out to these peoples and occupy their territories (7). This

statement alone demonstrates the idea of racial entitlement because Merlin states that the peoples

within Africa are not entitled to the same rights as peoples in Europe, as he refers to them as

barbarians and backward. Furthermore, given the public audience of this speech, Merlin

would be trying to influence the people that what they were doing was right in taking over and

europeanizing African peoples and cultures. Such a sense of racial entitlement brought the

African people an age of hardship and imperialism.

European politics had a primary focus on advocating their own national power, primarily

with the large emphasis on nationalism. In an attempt to promote a nations ultimate power,

many territories used the unclaimed African territories as a way to colonize and promote their

authority through political expansion. As in the British Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraelis

speech to the House of Commons on the topic of the Suez Canal in February of 1876, he
described many European nations attempt to acquire African land, such as the Suez Canal, as an

endeavor to gain national power. He recommend[ed] it to the country as a political transaction,

and one which [he] believe[ed was] calculated to strengthen the empire (2). As British Prime

Minister, Benjamin Disraeli would obviously support the expansion of British power and

political influence because it would expand his own as well. The statement shows, from the view

of a powerful European leader, that the idea of territorial expansion in Africa was a popular view

as it was viewed as a way to gain power and promote nationalism within a European nation.

From the French perspective of political expansion, Louis Bernard, a French colonial officer,

wrote in his memoir in Paris of 1936, I found [in Algeria before the first World War] the image

of a victorious and conquering France, which allowed me to forget the humiliated France on the

other side of the water (8). Louis Blanc described Frances expansion in Algeria and eventual

taking over of the territory as a method of promoting a positive view of the French nation, which

would in turn boost French nationalism. Due to the French expansion, the people within France

would be able to overcome Frances hardships of their nations discomfort and unrest in their

own political borders. The desire for overall political power caused many European nations to

expand into African territories an attempt to exert their overall political sovereignty and promote

nationalism within their nations.

The age of imperialism and colonization led to an attitude of economic discontent,

especially among socialists and anti-capitalists. In an 1897 Progressive Review article called

The Genesis of Jingoism by William Clark argued that [capitalism] is accustomed to find in

exaggerated forms of nationalism its most potent ally (5). He also said that supporting

imperialism is basically the equivalent of supporting capitalism, which is a failing economic

policy. Clark raised an interesting point in the claim that capitalism will eventually break down

all nationalism, as nationalism will soon be unneeded with the amount of power that capitalism

provides. Since Clark wrote this progressive/liberal article in 1897--during the age of mass

politics--he would be against capitalism and nationalism because those two ideas shifted into

the favor of conservatives. In a 1900 resolution of the German Social Democratic Party

Congress, the group explained that world and colonial policy is pursued for the purpose of

capitalist exploitation and for displaying military force (6). The SDP is historically a socialist

and anti-capitalist organization, and they believe imperialism is a branch of the evil of

capitalism. They also mention the corruption of the bourgeoisie, as they use their greed to

expand their already mighty empires. This relates to the rapidly-expanding ideas of Karl Marx

and the principles of Marxism during the Industrial Revolution, through the beliefs that

capitalism is a selfish, corrupt economic system, along with the distaste for the greediness of the

bourgeoisie class. While the SDP is a socialist party, Marxism was based off of radical socialism,

so the two ideologies heavily correspond with one another. Throughout Europe, the economic

attitude of imperialism was disapproved by many people and groups.