Rise Of Imperialism: Early Twentieth Century

Imperialism The rise of imperialism took place in the late nineteenth to early twentieth century. This meant that countries took it upon themselves to decide that they were the better society out of all the others. Many countries went through this stage, leading to rivalries and wars. Each were fighting to prove that they were the better race and that they had the power to make everyone else like them. There were many different influences through this period of time, such as, political views, social views, and others. Many excuses and cover ups were made to make imperialism seem logical and moral. It gave a country a sort of right to expand their culture and force it on others. An American Senator A.J. Beveridge stated that, “Fate has written …show more content…
In a poem called “The White Man’s Burden,” Rudyard Kipling suggests this about imperialism, “Take up the white man’s burden/ Send forth the best ye breed” (Kipling Doc. 6). The white man’s burden is to make sure that their race is multiplied. It is the life long goal of man to spread their “superior” race to ensure that the world will be better off, knowing there is only the best to rule it. Onlookers pointed out what groups of people were most intrigued with imperialism, “The makers of cotton and iron goods… demand of giant industries for colonial raw materials... shipowners demand coaling stations for their vessels and naval bases for protection”(Parker T. Moon Doc. 1). Moon observed that companies and factories were most interested in imperialism. This is due to the demands for more supplies and materials to keep factories running. Other countries also had new materials that no one had ever used or seen before, luring others to over take them. The imperialistic countries craved more money and to continue growing, and the used this method to get …show more content…
This poses a problem when it comes to fighting against the more developed countries. In 1867, Europe gained more colonial land and a Vietnamese governor explains how it was possible for them to achieve it, “... with their powerful weapons of war… We are weak against them… No one can resist them. They go where they want, the strongest ramparts fall before them” (Phan Thanh Gian Doc. 8). The Vietnamese people were basically forced to surrender to the French because they would have been slaughtered. The weapons of the French were far more advanced than what they had, and they knew there was no way for them to win against them. This is very unfair to the Vietnamese people, who have done nothing to deserve being treated like this by the French. Imperialism was being forced on them in the way of defeat, leaving them no choice but to give in. Imperialism had many forms of support, whether it be through political peoples, economical demands, or just the people of the country. In many ways this was a wrong way of living. People were forced to conform to another culture, destroying their own. It is a form of dehumanization, and it is wrong, no matter how a leader, or person of power, tried to justify