Similarities Between Industrialism, Industrialization And Imperialism

The nationalism, industrialization, and imperialism displayed by many countries in the 19th century continuously led to warfare in the early 20th century. This is evidenced by Russia when their growing desire to imperialize and industrialize other countries and their increasing sense of nationalism due to the Soviet system led them to participate in the Second World War in hopes of spreading communism throughout Russia.
Part of what steered Russia towards war in World War II was imperialism. For instance, Vladmir Lenin, head of the Soviet Union, claimed that “imperialism is the highest form of capitalism.” In other words, Lenin believed that free trade can lead capitalists to be more ambitious in hopes of gaining profits by trying to imperialize others in order to gain that extra wealth and power. Additionally, in

For instance, in “Industrialization of the Country,” written by Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union, Stalin discussed the need for Russia to industrialize in order to compete with the rising, surrounding nations of the world such as Germany, France, England, and the U.S. Stalin believed that Russia must do whatever it takes, even if it meant going to war, to make sure Russia did not fall too far behind the other world powers, both technologically and economically, in the race for industrialization; he believed that doing so would result in a return to capitalism for Russia. He believed that winning the industrialization race was the final missing piece to the puzzle that could propel socialism towards its victory in Russia (Stalin, p. 331). In order to accelerate the industrialization process, Stalin created a Five-Year Plan in 1928, which involved the collectivization of agriculture, a policy in which three to five percent of the wealthiest farmers were either killed, sent to labor camps or sent for resettlement on inferior soils (PWH, p.