Imperialism

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Imperialism, practice by which powerful nations or peoples seek to extend and maintain control or influence over weaker nations or peoples. Scholars frequently use the term more restrictively: Some associate imperialism solely with the economic expansion of capitalist states; others reserve it for European expansion after 1870. Imperialism refers; more broadly, to control or influence that is exercised either formally or informally, directly or indirectly, politically or economically.
Imperialism dates from antiquity, and throughout history it has taken many forms. In any given historical period, certain forms tend to be more prevalent than others. In the ancient world imperialism manifested itself in a series of great empires that arose when one people, usually representing a particular civilization and religion, attempted to dominate all others by creating a unified system of control. The empire of Alexander the Great and the Roman Empire are salient examples. Early modern European imperialism (1400-1750), by contrast, generally took the form of overseas colonial expansion. Rather than one state attempting to unify the world, in this period many competing states established political control over territories in South and Southeast Asia and in the New World. Imperial systems were organized according to the doctrine of mercantilism: Each imperial state attempted to control the trade of its colonies, in order to monopolize the benefits of that trade.
In the mid-19th century yet another variant of imperialism appeared, the imperialism of free trade. The practice endured in this period even though mercantilism and the pace of formal empire building declined significantly. European, especially British, power and influence were extended informally, mainly through diplomatic and economic means, rather than formally, through direct colonial rule. The imperialism of free trade, however, was short-lived: By the end of the 19th century Europe...