JUSTIFICATIONS OF IMPERIALISM

“Are Justifications of Imperialism via
Economic and Social Benefit still Apparent in the 21st Century”



In my essay I will discuss how social and economic imperialist attitudes are still apparent and remain in the 21st century. If we look at the concept of and definition of what is actually meant by the word ‘imperialism’ according to Williams “imperialism developed as a word during the second half of 19 century. Its meaning was always in some dispute, as different justifications and glosses were given to a system of organised colonial trade and organised colonial rule. However in the 20th century it acquired a new specific connotation to 20th century writers like Hobson, Kautsky, Bauer, and Lenin who in varying ways related the phenomena to the modern imperialist development of capitalist economy. (Williams 1976: pg159)

If we look at the historical background of British economic and cultural imperialism we will notice that most of the British Empire was based on th...