Summary Post #3!!

Elizabeth's post on imperialism really sparked my attention. "What is imperialism gone according to plan?" I mean, if the Congo had gone according to plan than this FREE STATE would've been very liberal, with open and free trade, no european trading monopolies, free labor, and no SLAVERY! Of course, as we know this didn't happen. Also, Italy tried to expand into Ethiopia in order to build a stronger and more modern industrial nation; however, in 1896 when they tried to conquer Ethiopia, the disorganized Italian army was basically slaughtered by the Ethiopian army. This also is imperialism gone array- or to be blunt, FAILED. Okay, also, when Britain tried to add the Afrikaners' prosperous diamond mines and pastureland to its own territory- they never fully succeeded. First- the British army was woefully unprepared for this war against the Boer's in 1899 and were destroyed in the first couple battles. Later, the British government (Chamberlain especially) "refused any compromise" and with the help of Sir Robert Roberts, "steamrolled the Boers"(818). But of course, that was not the end of the war because the european settlers were not about to give up so easily since this was THEIR land FIRST! The Afrikaners started a guerrilla war that lasted 3 more years- the fact that the British resorted to creating the first concentration camps in order to keep the civilians from lending aid to the guerrillas is a sign that they were desperate to maintain control and win this war. These concentration camps "bred opposition in Britain itself" (819). Basically, the Afrikaners signed over their old republics to the British Union of South Africa, but the Afrikaners were able to maintain a share of political power. This settlement was not stable and definitely not bound to last. Was this kind of imperialism successful? How can imperialism ever be successful if people will ALWAYS revolt? I know that if someone came into my home and tried to change things up and tell me how to behave and who to listen to- I'd rebel. Therefore, due to the constant rebellion- imperialism required constantly changing strategies of rule. 

Also, overall in this chapter we cannot forget how the West created an imperial culture. Basically, this chapter was ALL OVER THE PLACE because we learned about China, Africa, the United States and all of the empires ready to spread their wings and fairy dust all over the world (Britain, Russia, Germany, France, Spain, the USA, etc...)