Imperialism Arguements

2 Pages 541 Words

The White Man’s Burden and Confessions of Faith

European imperialism emerged in the early eighteen hundreds and continued into the early nineteen hundreds. While Rome used imperialism as a means to acquire territory and land, Europeans not only wanted to obtain land, but also wanted to achieve power, politically and economically. The countries wanted the control of overseas bases to keep ships and troops supplied and ready whenever you needed. A large number of Europeans went overseas to try and help unfortunate people. European governments built a government structure and taught the people how to rule in a civilized fashion. Christianity was also spread in the process. Desire to increase in wealth, power, and land strived the idea of imperialism to emergence. The British Writer Rudyard Kipling termed Europe’s benefiting of the “backward” peoples of Africa and Asia in “The White Man’s Burden”.

“Why should we not form a secret society with but one object the furtherance of the British Empire and the bringing of the whole uncivilized world under British rule...?” (Cecil Rhodes)

The above quote is taken from the form of final testament, Confessions of Faith by Cecil Rhodes. Rhodes was one of the greatest of all the European empire builders. Cecil Rhodes expounds his views on racial supremacy, religion and imperialism in this piece of literature. Cecil Rhodes’ wants to create to secret society composed of people who want to expand their power overseas to gain more wealth and power economically and politically. He demands more territory under Anglo Saxon influence. He wants the idea of imperialism to be taught in universities and schools so it can be transferred to the next generation. Rhodes was the driving force behind British Imperialism in South Africa. Cecil Rhodes wishes Europe to seize every opportunity of acquiring more land, and power over the world. He proclaims that Anglo Saxon is the best human ...