Imperialism

In 4ºESO we have been studying imperialism. Human history is dominated by the names and deeds of great and famous empires, from the Persians and Romans in Antiquity, through the Mongols, Portuguese and Spanish of the Medieval and Early Modern Age, to the British or French Empires which peaked in the age of industrialisation. Attitudes towards imperialism have changed greatly across the centuries, and here, Carlos, Javier, Fernando and Fernando  discuss some of the major pros and cons. Please leave a comment if you'd like to express your opinion or ask a question.

Imperialism is the act of a strong nation taking over or controlling weaker ones.

PROS: Imperialism has a negative sound to it as it means a forceful expansion over unwilling territories, however, it can bring multiple benefits to both conquered and conquerors. For example, industrialisation can increase the economy and improve the technology of the colonised nation, and culturally it results in the exchange of ideas, traditions, languages and more.

CONS: Everything has its pros and its cons, and imperialism isn't an exception. No nation likes to be controlled by a bigger and more powerful country and it can cause discord between groups that co-existed harmoniously prior to colonisation. Also, imperialism can cause slavery, which was specially rampant in Africa. Another big con is the fact that the colonised people and land can be exploited, leaving native people in poor conditions. Racism is another con associated with imperialism which has been associated with caused unimaginable suffering throughout history.