Elizabeth T. Tiano
Imperialism is the political, economic, or military domination of one country over another. Historically, powerful nations have extended their borders by conquering neighboring or distant territories. The conquered peoples are then incorporated into, or ruled separately by, the political system of the stronger nation. Direct imperial control is then exercised by the political organization of the central authority. Early examples of this kind of imperial expansion have been the Egyptians who conquered Syria and other neighboring lands, and the Romans whose country became the center of a vast empire. Later, during the Age of Discovery, the countries of Spain, France, Holland, and England developed large empires in the New World.
There are several reasons why imperial expansion occurs. One is economic gain, the need or desire to obtain material benefits like precious objects or the labor and products of the conquered populations. Another is to augment or increase political power. In a direct sense this means that the conquering nation desires to obtain foreign manpower, or bases to reinforce its own military strength, or to monopolize strategic raw materials. Sometimes, imperial ideologies such as political, religious, or cultural beliefs have become so strong that countries have exerted their control over other nations to spread the “true gospel,” “civilization,” or some particular political creed. There have also been national leaders who believed that aggressive action abroad would distract attention from problems at home. Some writers suggest that totalitarian countries are especially prone to expansionist policies because they cannot maintain internal rule unless their system is insulated from foreign influence.
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