Reasons For European Imperialism

There were several motivations for the Europeans to expand into Africa in the 19th century. One would be the economic factor. It began with the collapse of the profits gained from the slave trade due to its abolition and suppression. During that era, it was a very economically unsettled time for the Europeans especially when they were hit with the depression around the 1870s. Countries such as Britain were facing a growing competition with newly industrialized countries such as Germany who had cheaper labor and more factories. All the European countries were finding every way possible to boost their trade markets abroad. This also includes the expansion of the Imperative of capitalist industrialization which revolved around the need of raw

European countries such as Germany, Belgium, Britain, France, etc. were competing for power within the European power politics. The main drive of colonizing Africa in just under a few decades was the competition of power within the Europeans. The best way to demonstrate this kind of power was to acquire as much territory around the world, which includes Africa. Colonies became a symbol of power for the Europeans.

Due to the result of industrialization, huge problems such as homelessness, poverty, etc. occurred since not everyone in the European population can partake with the new capitalistic industries. A good way to resolve this was to acquire colonies to export surplus population which eventually resulted in settler-colonies in places such as Tunisia, Angola, Zimbabwe and other parts in Africa.

Issues like these caused scramble within the European countries to get as much resources and territories as they can in Africa. There were multiple European military, commercial and even political agents sent into different parts of Africa to declare exclusive claims to individual territories in Africa for trade. They also imposed tariffs against other European traders and claim control of commercial routes and waterways in multiple regions of