Question

Explain the following concept. 

Colonialism

Answer 1

“Colonialism is the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.”.

The important features of colonialism are:

1. The dominant country or a nation takes control of other recessive (weaker) lands, regions, or territories outside its borders (boundaries of the country) by making those other lands, regions, or territories into a colony.
2. The more powerful, prosperous country dominates the smaller, less powerful (recessive) region or territory.
3. The words "colonialism" and "imperialism" have the same meaning.
4. In the period between the 1700s and 1800s, the powerful European countries like Britain, France, Spain, and the Netherlands) established colonies in the continents of Africa, South America, Asia, and the Caribbean.
5. Dominant countries use colonialism to get more land or wealth for their people to live in.
6. The local people living in the less powerful land or territories were usually moved away using force and fighting from armies.
7. To protect these people who belong dominant countries from the residents (who have lost their land and shelter) colonial nations set up a military fort or colonial police system.
8. Dominant countries also practise colonialism to get more land so that they can use the land for farming, trees (wood), coal, metal, etc.
9. Colonial countries (dominant countries) make colonies to get land to create a local government or military fort.
10. Colonialism also helps dominant countries get workers from poorer countries to work in factories or farms.
11. The workers in the recessive countries have forced the people from the poorer countries to work as slaves.
12. India was a recessive country and British colony for 190 years.