Theories of imperialism
Also called: Hobson, Lenin's Imperialism · Topic: The Making of a Global World · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Theories of imperialism try to explain why European powers grabbed colonies so quickly in the late 19th century. The English writer J.A. Hobson argued in 1902 that rich people had more capital (money to invest) than they could profitably invest at home. So they pushed governments to take colonies where this money could earn profits. Lenin built on this idea. He argued that capitalism, the system of private ownership and profit, had become dominated by big monopolies and banks, and that these needed colonies.
Example
In Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism (1917), Lenin described imperialism as the last stage of capitalism. In this stage, rich countries export capital and divide the world among themselves. One example is the European powers' meeting in Berlin in 1885 to divide Africa.
Don't confuse with
- Ecological imperialism: this term explains how European conquest was helped by germs, animals and plants. It is not about capital or profits.