In the last several centuries, Western imperialistic expansion has significantly changed the Pacific Asian region. (Borthwick 2007, 61) Essentially, colonialism is defined as “control by one country over another area and its people.” (Unknown 2013) During this time, territorial expansion was a primary goal of England, France, United States of America and the Empire of
Japan. Their ability to travel great distances combined with military superiority allowed for these countries to exert their influence and occupy greater territory. This era helped shape the Southeast Asia region in a profound way. This paper will discuss how prior to World War II colonial rule affected development in the region as well as economic and societal changes.
The Far East, more specifically South East Asia, was seen in Western eyes as a vast opportunity to develop a region which up to this point hadn’t become industrialized. (Borthwick 2007, 80) South East Asia had been known to the western world for centuries due to land trading routes established previously throughout the region. (Borthwick 2007, 65) While there were many nations that were imperialistic, Great Britain and France were among the most vigorous in their pursuit of greater power. Imperialism in South East Asia took off with the ability to transport military might via sea from far distances. From the early 1800’s to World War II, these two countries ruled over more than one-third the surface of the world. (Borthwick 2007, 81)
Great Britain controlled India, Burma (Myanmar), Malaysia, British New Guinea, Singapore, Sarawak, Brunei, Bhutan and Hong Kong. Conversely, France controlled Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos as depicted in figure 1. Thailand, then Siam, was the lone country that was neve...
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British Imperialism in India and China Imperialism is the domination of a weaker country by a stronger country. For instance, Britain dominated India and China in the mid 1880s to the beginning of the 20th century. Imperialism has had both a positive and negative effect on the countries involved. Britain was imperialistic for many reasons, it could dominate because it had the technology and power to do so.
In the middle of the 19th century, despite a few similarities between the initial responses of China and Japan to the West, they later diverged; which ultimately affected and influenced the modernizing development of both countries. At first, both of the Asian nations rejected the ideas which the West had brought upon them, and therefore went through a time period of self-imposed isolation. However, the demands that were soon set by Western imperialism forced them, though in different ways, to reconsider. And, by the end of the 19th century both China and Japan had introduced ‘westernizing’ reforms. China’s aim was to use modern means to retain and preserve their traditional Confucian culture. Whereas Japan, on the other hand, began to successfully mimic Western technology as it pursued modernization, and thus underwent an astounding social upheaval. Hence, by the year 1920, Japan was recognized as one of the world’s superpowers, whereas China was on the edge of anarchy.
Many countries began to practice imperialism, the policy of extending their power through military force. An example of a country being imperialistic is Serbia. They wanted their country to be the center of a larger Slavic state. To do this they wanted control of Bosnia and Herzegovina for outlet to Adriatic Sea." Serbia wanted to be the leader of the Slavic states to be able to have extra resources, which in this case was the Adriatic Sea.
Introduction: The epoch of imperialism cannot be defined simply as a proliferation of inflated egos tied to the hardened opinions of nationalists, but also a multi-faceted global rivalry with roots of philosophies tainted with racism and social Darwinism. The technique of each imperialist was specific to the motivations and desires of each combative, predominantly Western power and subsequently impacted the success of each imperialist and its colonies. Driven by industrialization, Europeans are aware of the urgent need for raw materials and new markets to maintain a constant rate of expansion and wealth. Imperialism became a competition; in general, the European countries led with fervor while the non-Western regions deemed likely to be stepped on.
There is a point of time in certain a country’s history where they become dominant and more powerful than ever before. During this elongated process a country becomes an empire. The British and the Ottomans were states that succeeded in this process, but becoming an empire such as theirs required vast amounts of political and social maneuvering to expand their boundaries, called imperialism. Imperialism is, “a policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force”. By becoming a modern nation enjoying economic prosperity and political stability, the British and the Ottomans created an imperialistic impact over the globe with distinctive motivations and approaches especially during the transition period of gaining ample amount power and influence globally.
The Age of Western Imperialism. Modern East Asia From 1600. Second Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2009. 295-367.
Stewart Gordon is an expert historian who specializes in Asian history. He is a Senior Research Scholar at the Center for South Asian Studies at the University of Michigan and has authored three different books on Asia. Gordon’s When Asia Was The World uses the narratives of several different men to explore The Golden Age of medieval Asia. The fact that this book is based on the travels and experiences of the everyday lives of real people gives the reader a feeling of actually experiencing the history. Gordon’s work reveals to the reader that while the Europeans were trapped in the dark ages, Asia was prosperous, bursting with culture, and widely connected by trade.
In the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895, China at the time confronted impending risk of being parceled and colonized by colonialist powers...
Knight, Nick, and Michael Heazle. 2011. Understanding Australia's Neighbours: An Introduction to East and Southeast Asia. New York: Cambridge Univerity Press.
Imperialism has not only influenced colonial territories to better themselves or to further the mother country’s realm of power, it also had a significant impact on the people’s culture, education, environment, and political systems. Japan and Britain were two imperial systems that countered each other in many facets but also had strikingly similar qualities that had helped them become strong imperial powers that needed one another to continue their position amongst others. The Japanese empire was an inspirational country to other Asians that spearheaded the fight against the European imperialism. After the Meiji restoration, the emperors decided that the modernization of Japan was going to begin and in order for it to be a success, the government had to change along with their culture, “.restored authority faced new dangers in a new age.
...mme. (1999). Education and training for development in East Asia: The political economy of skill formation in East Asian newly industrialized economies. London: Routledge.
Factors of British colonialism in Malaya were because there were vas natural resources in Malaya, strategic location and also to extend their influence; to be seen as a big powerful nation, and finally to spread the Christian ...
BROWN, Judith M. Modern India: the Origins of an Asian Democracy. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1985
From covering Japan’s perilous imperial rule to analyzing Korea’s ambivalent adoption of democratic governance, Modern East Asia explored a broad range of subjects important for one who aspires to understand Asia holistically. Much time was even spent examining China’s horrid history at the hands of foreign meddling, giving insight into a nation feared as the future #1 economic power of the world. Although we covered a broad range of topics, each was given particular attention, never skipping major events or characters which shaped Asia’s history over the last several hundred years. Essentially, this class provided an open atmosphere for students to learn the intricate history of major Asian countries in addition to sharing ideas on the effectiveness of their pre-modern governance.
Colonialism as an aspect has defined the foundations of many of the modern nations of our time. The mark of many age old nations reflects on the development of many older tribes and cultures. Most notably, Africa and various coastal South American nations are the most evident definition of colonialism. Starting at around the 16th century, colonialism involves the...