Imperialism as an enterprise

Abstract

Imperialism is a policy of extending a country’s power and influence through colonisation, the use of military force or by forcefully establishing financial and commercial relations. Europe’s adoption of territorial imperialism was largely focused on economic growth by collecting resources from colonies while assuming political control by military and political means. The consequences of imperialism are devastating for the colonised countries and territories. Under foreign rule, native culture and industry are destroyed while imported goods (in the name of free trade) wipe out local craft industries. Imperialism emerged as the development and direct continuation of the fundamental characteristics of capitalism, in a process that involves the displacement of competitive capitalism by monopolistic capitalism.