European History of Imperialism
European History of Imperialism
J.A Hobson, a very influential publicist with outlandish but brilliant thoughts, had a tremendous impact on both his time period and future posterity on the subject of Imperialism. However, just like any famous subject or discussion, there are those that rebuttal ones thoughts or feelings. Many scholars, statesmen, and government officials had their own feelings on Imperialism, which are stated in the documents given. These individuals state their attitudes to the answer of the question, “What accounted for the colonial expansion of Europe in the 19th century?” Some of these thoughts show Hobson’s views as more of a weaker argument, which clash his thought of Imperialism being the source of the imperial force being certain industrial, financial, and professional classes seeking personal advantages out of expansion.
Frank Swettenham and Lord Grey, both British Colonial officers, feel that the European governments trying to handle it themselves did not always accommodate the infiltration of a region, but rather there were native opportunities and elements that persuaded the foreign people to join in. In document 4 written by Lord John Russell, the British prime minister of the 1850s, he states that everyone knows the true answer to becoming strong as a nation. The answer is that the countries and colonies that provide these nations with goods and territory, will always help during peace, but will always pay off during war. This is contradicting the statements of Hobson saying that these acts are not selfish or self-indulgences, but rather for the gain of strength and protection for all.
As seen in document 5, a governor writes about the risks involved with imperialism and the consequences suffered if their results are not successful. All these documents were written in the pre Age of Imperialism, but still were major contributors of the contradiction of J.A. Hobson and his ideas.
There was much to be said about the White supremacy being a factor in Europe during the Age of Imperialism. This also tied into the thought of countries providing aid, but also being a survival of the fittest. As stated in a document by Rudyard Kipling, he feels that the white man, the strong man, is sent to fend for the country or nation, gaining territory and power by taking over that of the more primitive cultures. He says that the white man forever stay...