All throughout history we can see this act being used to exploit neighboring areas to benefit their own empire, at the expense of other nations. Diverse Religious Identities of the Middle East, Prayer, A Part of Daily Life for Muslims Around the World, The Mystical Tradition of Sufism, or Tasawwuf, The Middle East and the Impact of Imperialism, The U.S. and Post-Bandung Imperial Dominance, The Middle East Studies Center at the Ohio State University, Chapter Three: The Middle East and the Impact of Imperialism, Map: Kurdish Territory European countries set up colonies all over Africa, Latin America, and Asia, and encouraged their citizens to populate them. European imperialists worked hard to control the Suez Canal, but they also sought direct control over oil in countries like Iran. When the Company lost control, the British government took over India. By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions: Finally, here are some questions that will help you focus on why this article matters and how it connects to other content youve studied. Many European countries had set up their colonies in many parts of the world such as Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Dr. Lalvani is one of the few who believe that imperialism was beneficial, Imperialism was all about power, because whether it was militarily or economically, the country taking over needed ascendancy to assert their influence and control onto another. Imperialism is also sometimes sparked by military motives, such as when USA set up. Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps, Imperialism in the Middle East and North Africa, Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa. This pause would further prevent the country from being considered a large and strong power in the future, only adding to the prestige of the WEIRD country that had overtaken it. It is interesting to note that the division of the Fertile Crescent into Syria, Lebanon, Transjordan, Iraq and Palestine were more based on strategic interests or oil. Not surprisingly, the British viewed imperialism as profitable because it gave them wealth, and it helped them gain acquired goods. Farther west, the Young Tunisian and Young Algerian movements began demanding reform and greater rights for natives. The lifeline to India had to be protected from the Russians; before 1917, from the Tsar and post-1917, from the Soviet Communists. Key Figure: Gamal Abdul Nasser But beginning in the nineteenth century, the empire began to decline, and many of its territories fell to European control. Had it not been for imperialism, the world today would consist of more diverse cultures with less discrimination and countries would be able to use their resources as they. Francisco Franco granted the Western (formerly Spanish) Sahara independence in 1975, but this led to conflict with Morocco that had not been resolved by the early twenty-first century. Fundamental Islam Fundamental Islam had a very critical attitude towards Arab nationalism. America used this approach as an intimidator to get economic growth, expand their political power, spread of the cultures religion, and build military and naval bases. But to people in the region, the Americans and Soviets were simply new faces on the old imperialism. The future course of the region is unpredictable but it is obvious that colonial interference throughout the twentieth century and American intervention towards the late-twentieth century, particularly, has led to the formation of this political mosaic that has not seen peace for a long time. Legally, the mandate from the League of Nations to France and Britain required them to nurture these territories toward total independence, but these countries' motivation to do so (strongest in Iraq and weakest in Lebanon and western Palestine) was often adversely affected by issues of national interest. Each country had it's own motives for wanting to gain an empire and some of the reason were Economic, Political, Religious and Exploitation. New Imperialism and its effects on China. When they forced themselves on the native people it ruined the interactions between, Of the people who were impacted by imperialism, the group that was influenced the most were the British. Through effective political activism that was largely but not totally peaceful, Tunisians and Moroccans were able to terminate the French protectorates by 1956. Economic motives were a major cause of New Imperialism. Imperialism in Africa had negative and positive consequences on both the Europeans and Africans, these can be shown through human rights issues, new industry and advancements, and wealth and influence. What does colonialism have to do with the Middle East? For some Middle Easterners, colonization wasn't such a bad thing during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Soon, American and Soviet influence arrived as both superpowers sought to gain allies in their Cold War struggle against each other. This idea of empire as a unifying force was never again realized after the fall of Rome. ETYMOLOGIES AND HISTORIES But they also have a lot to do with colonialism. This article, we will provide an overview of British colonialism and imperialism, from the early explorations of the 15th century to its height in the 19th century. No matter where you draw its borders, it's a contested term. For one, the overall aspect of imperialism was forcefully taking over someone's land, thus causing problems among the citizens living there. It allowed the rapid spread of technologists and ideas. The Islamist insurgency that erupted in Algeria in the 1990s was viewed as principally if not totally cultural in nature. Reports of slave experiences were brought back to Europe by various explorers and abolitionists called for an end to the slave. Imperialism is sometimes justified because sometimes other nations can help the more needy nations, but other times it is just complete chaos. In addition to having their economy and government controlled for them, the long term imperialism drains their small scale industry and resources. Why did he take these actions and what was the result? Egyptian cotton, Algerian wine, and Iranian oil flowed into international markets, and the Suez Canal was profitable, but the cost of military occupation in the face of rising nationalist hostility, and the cost of infrastructure investment, limited though it was in most areas, brought the economic value of imperialism into question. Imperialism is when a country extends their power to other countries. These questions will help you get a better understanding of the concepts and arguments that are presented in the article. It led to slave trade which then led to social discrimination around the world. Secular intellectuals, on the other hand, have refused to accept Islam as the only alternative to cultural domination by the West. We can see how the concept of unity was so shaky by looking at the events that took place after the Second World War. The Arab Nation: Nationalism and Class Struggle. These motives tend to believe its purpose is gaining additional wealth, power, and control. Imperialism has been the strongest force this past century; Enslaving natives, while obliterating civilizations. However, British interests in the region were not just for strategic reasons like the lifeline to India. By the early twentieth century, it was fairly certain that the region had the largest oil reserves in the world. European imperialists drew the borders of the Middle East in ways that didn't really make sense and which were disruptive to local communities. An example would be Rwanda and Burundi, which used to be two separate regions until the Europeans put them as one during the Scramble for Africa. Although imperialism had several negative impacts on certain regions, it lead to the introduction of a better government system and improvement in technology. tobacco revolt; Economically, the negative impression of imperialism evolved into loss of land, economy and livestock.. Their opponentsamong them Adam Smith, David Ricardo, and J.A. Following the Arab Spring of 2011-2012, it was hoped that there would be a wave of democratic regimes across the region. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Hobsonoften assert that imperialism may benefit a small favoured group but never the nation as a whole. In the Scramble for Africa, the Europeans divided the country among themselves without concerning about the relationships between different regions. Some ethnic groups, like the Kurds, watched as their territory and populations were divided between several different nation-states. Empire, imperial, and imperialism are ter, THE CAUSE OF DECOLONIZATION The Good Aspects. The mandate system established at San Remo in 1920 to resolve the problems caused by the defeat of the Ottoman Empire extended European imperialism by giving France control of Lebanon and Syria and Britain control of Palestine and Iraq. Before the arrival of the British, they were the center of trade because of its location in between China and Europe. A major part of this effort was modernization: of industry, government and society. In their modern form, arguments about the causes and value of imperialism can be classified into four main groups. A few of the most important positive effects of the I.R. Photo of a document that outlines the covert operation to remove Iranian Prime Minister Mossadeq from office and establish a pro-Western government. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. It's important to distinguish, however, between imperialism as it was "done" in antiquity and medieval times, and its modern form. They both challenged British economic imperialism. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. But how did this negatively impact the colonies? For a lot of Americans, "conflict," "oil," and "Islam" might come to mind. In effect, this meant that a British and French company now owned an incredibly important and profitable canal that cut 120 miles through Egypt. But in the course of their development, they also benefitted the people of the colonies. They introduced improved medical care and better methods of sanitation in the colonies. They introduced new technology and paved the way for modernization. These mother countries changed the administrative, social and economic policies of the colony for their own benefits. Through a series of wars and militant movementsoften encouraged by European powers with strategic or ideological agendasthey endeavored to gain their freedom and establish independent states with comparative ethnic and religious homogeneity. However, imperialism had far-reaching negative effects which outweighed their positive effects. Map of the globe with countries that make up the Middle East highlighted in green. To this day, the Kurds are a stateless nation, with their territory spanning across 4 nation-states: Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran (see map, below). This thin strip of water, and the events that surrounded it, captures a wide array of trends in the modern Middle East. As a result of advancing both nations can give a nation the name of a world leader with it helping both sides, everyone is developing in a way to help not just themselves, but others as well. Positive Effects The imperialistic nations built roads, canals, and railways in the colonies of Asia and Africa. They established many new industries in these colonies for their own benefit. After the First World War,the contours of the major nation-states of todays Middle East were delineated. Foreign Affairs 72, no. One of the reasons the Suez Canal was so important was its ability to quickly move Middle Eastern oil from the Persian Gulf to European and American markets. Expansion of a states control over territories and peoples beyond its borders is likely to lead to friction, hence insecurity, because the safety zones and spheres of influence of competing nations are bound to overlap sooner or later. Imperialism has greatly shaped the contemporary world. But the cosmopolis, in which all citizens of the world would live harmoniously together in equality, remained a dream of Alexander. balfour declaration (1917); Without African colonies european wouldn't be strong as it is. We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. The Suez Canal cut that trip in half. Nasser and Mossadegh both nationalized important resources in their countries. Britain was imperialistic for many reasons, it could dominate because it had the technology and power to do so. From one perspective, Imperialism was development or progression. The efforts put in by Europe to colonize weak countries resulted in improvement of education and sanitation in the colonized countries. Fundamental Islam had a very critical attitude towards Arab nationalism. In the second half of the century, new forms of European imperialism emerged. When a European power came into a foreign country of Asia, Africa or the Caribbean and conquered it for its own imperialistic motives, it completely dominated that country. Imperialism had positive and negative effects. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 19751979. The sultans, like the Russian tsars, were primarily motivated by the desire to acquire land and wealth, whereas the overseas European empire builders sought raw materials and markets. In 1800 most subjects of the Ottoman sultan considered it normal to be ruled from a distant capital by means of a rotation of officials and military forces sent from afar and often speaking a foreign language. You had a little bit there. As a result of Imperialism, following outcomes appeared: extreme discrimination, nationalism, and exchange of cultures. Unlike parts of the world rich in raw materials or agricultural products that could not be grown in Europe, most parts of the Middle East and North Africa did not offer great rewards to their imperial masters. Imperialism is defined in the dictionary as being a " The policy of extending a nation's authority by territorial acquisition or by establishing economic and political hegemony over other nations" (p 681 American Heritage college Dictionary). Map of the Sykes-Picot agreement which divided the Middle East into four territories. It was nothing but a political expediency. The emergence of ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and al-Shams) and its proclamation of a Caliphate show that memories of an Arab heritage are still alive but so are the divisions. Amin, Samir. though it has negative effects. Finally, the Ottomans generally administered their territories with a lighter hand than did the Europeans. but also in Asia and the Middle East. Then the decades between the middle of the 19th century and World War I (191418) were again characterized by intense imperialistic policies. This action is done due to economic, exploratory, ethnocentric, political and religious reasons (Potter lecture). In the 1800s, these resources were very valuable, especially to Europe. Countries such as Thailand and Iran have never been colonized by other nations, yet the countries are well developed and ranked fairly high in the Human Development Index (HDI), a measure of the countrys social and economic status. Because it always involves the use of power, whether military or economic or some subtler form, imperialism has often been considered morally reprehensible, and the term is frequently employed in international propaganda to denounce and discredit an opponents foreign policy. Imperialization had an entirely different effect on Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Iraq and Iran, both situated in the Middle East, are areas Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa. Although the imperialism also brought positive effects to their colonials, but it is not good enough to cover the scars they brought to the colonials. Hurewitz, J. C. The Middle East and North Africa in World Politics, 2d edition. Maps: NATO and other Alliances/Treaty Orgs. Keys to Understanding the Middle East by Alam Payind and Melinda McClimans is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted. Leaders in decolonizing nations had to be strategic in order to survive. The term levantine is French in originlevantin an, Imperial Oil Limited 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. Imperialism in ancient times is clear in the history of China and in the history of western Asia and the Mediterraneanan unending succession of empires. This can drive a person to think that their country is the most powerful, and in essence drives that person mad with power and a hunger to conquer, which not ironically is exactly what many countries did. Sphere of influence is a field or area in which an individual or organization has power to affect change and developments. Soon thereafter, however, the Christian peoples of the Balkans, stimulated in part by the exposure of community members to European ideas as a consequence of educational or personal contacts outside Ottoman territories, did begin to see themselves as victims of Ottoman domination. He ruled the land not as a colony but as his own. They were however, not interested in the stability of the region for the future. Most nations seek to grow their own nation in power, while others seek to help others grow. The decision of the Young Turks to join the Central Powers in the First World War was the final nail in the coffin. The Age of Imperialism is considered 1800 - 1914. Last but not least, imperialism stripped countries off their natural resources and left nothing for the natives. The word "Imperialism" has a negative impression. Imperialism is the action of a country taking over another country. Many people in different countries found this important. Imperialism impacted societies in countless negative ways. The Middle-Eastern pie, being shared by Britain and France, was a far cry from the pre-revolt promises. The major reason for this delay was the power and durability of the Ottoman Empire. Imperialism was a negative event that happened to the Democratic Republic of Congo. They introduced many changes in the system of education and the customs and culture of these colonized countries. Key Figure: Ayatollah Khomeini Omissions? Imperialism is excused as the means of liberating peoples from tyrannical rule or of bringing them the blessings of a superior way of life. We dont take care of children seriously. POST-1945 HISTORICAL CONTEXTS In Egypt, fear that Colonel Ahmad Urabi's military rebellion would interrupt these financial controls prompted Britain to suppress the rebellion militarily and commence an occupation in 1882 that would last for seventy years. People of different classes united and fought against the colonial power, so evident in India and Vietnam. The period from the middle of the 19th century and World War I (1914 to 1918) were again characterized by a rapid spread of imperialism. The British played a huge role in imperialism. 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Watched as their territory and populations were divided between several different nation-states could! Bringing them the blessings of a better understanding of the British viewed imperialism as profitable because had. Introduced many changes in the Middle of the World such as when USA up. Imperialistic policies least, imperialism had several negative impacts on certain regions, it was hoped that would!: of industry, government and society mother countries changed the administrative, social economic... These colonies for their own nation in power, so evident in India and Vietnam and America... Someone 's land, thus causing problems among the citizens living there grow their own benefit did he take actions. Sought direct control over oil in countries like Iran the borders of the Young to... Strongest force this past century ; Enslaving natives, while others seek to others...