The cause of the late-nineteenth-century rush for territory and possessions by European countries can be attributed to many factors. These factors were primarily economical, but they were also sometimes attributed to social tensions and political affairs. Thus, “New Imperialism” can be attributed to various economical, social, and political motives.
The novel idea of “New Imperialism” was primarily derived from economic motives. This era of great expansion occurred prominently in Great Britain, France, Germany, and the United States. These countries sought colonial imperialism because of restricting tariff barriers. With the great increase in world trade, those who could acquire rare resources would profit the most. Although the economies of the new colonies did not become increasingly profitable until 1914, these economical motives were still the primary motive driving “New Imperialism”.
Numerous political officials in the 19th century took advantage of the increasing imperialism. Conservatives of Germany, Russia, and several other countries manipulated colonial issues in order to divert popular attention from the class struggles of the home country and create a false sense of unity. Imperial propagandists stressed that colonies would benefit both the worker and the capitalist. This appeased the increasing amount of people that lived in poverty and were seeking jobs. Thus, many lower-class workers migrated with the great expansion and sought jobs in the colonies. This somewhat helped solve the class struggle problem of the home countries, because there were less people and less demands for food and land.
Another important motive for countries to colonize was the idea of the “White Man’s Burden”. White Europeans considered themselves the superior race of the world, and believed it was their duty or burden to “civilize” the rest of the world. Colonization also showed how superior a country was. The stronger a country was, the more countries it could conquer. Therefore, countries believed they had to seize colonies in order to show that they were strong.
To sum up, there were various motives that contributed to the increase of “New Imperialism”. Primarily these were economic motives, but political and social motives also contributed to the great era of expansion.
