Imperialism

From Geography

Imperialism has many contradicting definitions: Lenin describes it as 'the highest form of capitalism'; Ronald Hyam (expert on the Britisch empire) describes it as 'an export of a surplus emotional and sexual energy, not capital' (Bush, 2006, p.45) According to Edward Said Imperialism refers to a system of domination over space, encompassing the practise, the theory and the attitudes of a dominating metropolitan centre ruling a distant territory. An manifestation of imperial power is colonialism, which is the implanting of settlements on a distant territory. Colonialism is almost always a consequence of imperialism, depends on conquest, territorial expansion, and processes of colonisation whereby people, goods, and capital move from a metropolitan centre to an colony.

The definitions differ as to wether informal imperialism is included or only formal empires. A formal imperial relationship exists when a 'imperialized' country forfeits its sovreignty and is incorporated into the state or empire of te imperialist power, as was, for instance Britisch India or French Algeria. Informal imperialism exists without colonialism but colonialism cannot exist without imperialism. Third world nationalists and radical Western intellectuals call economic exploitations and political domination informal imperialism. (Bush, 2006, p. 46) Imperial power can be exercised by nations, companies and organizations. (Gregory, 2000, p. 17)

References

Bush, B. (2006). Imperialism and Postcolonialism, Edinburgh: Pearson Education Limited Gregory, D. (2000). Decolonising Geography: Postcolonial Perspectives. Chapter 5 in: Blunt, A. & Wills, J. (eds.) Dissident Geographies: an introduction to radical Ideas and Practice. Prentice Hall, London.