Comparison between imperialism and colonialism

Introduction

The major task in this assignment is to compare the two novels to highlight the importance of the two concepts known as imperialism and colonialism. The first novel that will be reviewed is Mizora written by the author Jean Pfaelzer. The second novel that will be reviewed is The Coming Race written by Edward Bulwar. A detailed comparison regarding the two novels will be carried out to obtain the complete information on the two important concepts known as imperialism and colonialism.

Comparison between two novels

According to the first novel, Imperialism's main purpose is to enhance the dominant country's size, prestige, or resources to enable it to become or remain a leading power in the global system of states. Imperial control can be imposed formally, whereby the strong country assumes full political control of the weaker country, or informally, where the dominant country allows the weaker country to remain nominally sovereign but applies diplomatic, economic, or military pressure to force the weaker country to act in accordance with the dominant country's wishes. The word imperialism was first used in this sense, referring to the expansionist policies of Napoleon Bonaparte. It gained prominence after 1872, when British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli employed the term while outlining his policy of colonial expansion. This explains why imperialism became associated with “colonialism,” more specifically European overseas expansion, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Of course, empires have existed since ancient times, and imperialism also applies to continental empires. However, the various theories of imperialism that have been generated relate mainly to the “New Imperialism” after 1870, when leading powers in Europe raced for colonies and spheres of influence around the globe. Imperial control was usually established by military conquest, leading Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter to conclude that military forces played a central role in prompting imperialism during this period. European countries were no longer at serious threat of war, so the military sought a new purpose and activity, which it found in the conquest of overseas territories. Imperialism was the displacement of European political competition to the international arena: through overseas expansion, a country could enhance its prestige without directly challenging other powers at home (Cohen, 157).

Economic concerns were integrally linked to territorial expansion. Colonial commercial activities were controlled by the imperial power and integrated into its global industrial complex. Liberal and Marxist theorists claimed that capitalist interests, rather than political exigencies, engendered imperialism and colonial exploitation. In 1902, British economist John Hobson argued that surplus capital was the economic taproot of imperialism: wealthy capitalists looking for greater profits than were available at home used their influence to persuade governments to annex overseas territories and open them for investment. Colonization accompanied colonialism, and governments colluded with wealthy settlers, providing them with choice lands and commercially profitable infrastructures, funded by taxpayers rather than by financiers. V. I. Lenin viewed imperialism as the highest, monopoly stage of capitalism, where a powerful and concentrated financial oligarchy directs state foreign policy ...