A Brief History of Colonialism

The first half of the nineteenth century witnessedtrading concessions. The European powers moved
the growth of Europe's economic and militaryin with France leasing the base of Kwang-Chow,
superiority over the rest of the world. Although,Germany seized Kiao-Chow, Russia established a
since the late fifteenth century parts of the worldprotectorate in Manchuria and Britain's sphere of
had been controlled by the various Europeaninfluence was the Yangtze. China was saved the
powers. But from 1870 there commenced a racefate of Africa because the USA insisted on an
for colonies on an unprecedented scale. ThereOpen Door policy in 1899 that stated that all
were a number of reasons for this which includedstates should have equal opportunity and that
economic forces, nationalist prestige, missionaryChina's territorial integrity should be respected. In
and humanitarian impulses, Social Darwinism,addition, Chinese nationalism was a powerful force,
military advantages, population pressure andas the anti-foreign Boxer Revolt proved. Other
exploration. Africa was completely swallowed upparts of the Far East were gobbled up by the
by Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, SpainEuropean powers with France seizing Annam and
and Portugal. The British government took directCochin in China and Tonkin (Vietnam), Laos and
control of India which had been controlled by theCambodia and labelling them all French Indo-China
East India Company since the seventeenthwhile Britain controlled Malaysia and Burma. The
century. The beleaguered Manchu dynasty inpowers didn't stop at the Far East but breached
China had been defeated by Britain in the Opiumdeeper into the Pacific with Britain annexing the Fiji
War (1839-1842). As a result certain Treaty portsIslands, Germany taking Northern New Guinea,
were opened to foreign trade and the BritishSamo and the Marshall Islands while also
secured a predominant position. China embarkedpurchasing the Marinas and Carolines from Spain.
on a short and disastrous campaign against JapanFrance took Tahiti, New Caledonia and the South
in 1894-1895 which weakened the country andSolomon Islands while Britain sweeped up
left it open to a series of demands for bases andSarawak, North Borneo and Tonga.