Question

Consider the benefits and negative effects of imperialism in Africa and Asia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Discuss whether the negative effects outweighed the positive impacts, citing specific examples.

Answer 1

The imperialism in Africa and Asia by the European countries had long lasting effects in big portions of these two continents, some being positive and some being negative.

The positive impacts were that the European imperialists built a lot of infrastructure in the countries they controlled. They also allowed the locals to be able to learn the Western ways of functioning, diplomacy, politics, the way their economy works. Multiple industries were developed, or at least the basics for them were set.

The negative impacts were the usage of the resources of the countries for the purpose of the European motherlands, thus taking the profit out of those countries. The borders set by the Europeans were in accordance to their interests, not the local populations, which created a very big problem further on when those countries gained independence, and lot of different ethnic groups and different religions found themselves in the same borders.

It is hard to evaluate which impact outweighing because there has been some countries that used very well the things that the Europeans left and thought them (China and Thailand for example), while others went into a direction to destroy everything the Europeans left and thought them (Zimbabwe and DR Congo for example).