7.2A - Power in the Imperial Era
The maintenance of power during the imperial period by direct colonial control. (British empire, multipolar world 1919-1939)
The period from 1500 to 1950 was an imperial era (denominated by empires). European powers (Spain, Portugal, Britain, France and Germany) conquered land in the Americas, Africa and Asia and built empires that directly controlled territories. The development of empires relied on:
Empires were maintained directly by force. Attempts by the conquered people to rebel against the colonial power were brutally suppressed. Britain had the largest empire, reaching its peak in 1920 when it controlled 24% of land globally.
Empires ended in the period 1950-70. European countries gave independence to their colonies, because the costs of maintaining them was too high as Europe rebuilt after WW2. Since 1950, China has effectively acted as a colonial ruler of Tibet, brutally suppressing dissent during rebellions by Tibetans in 1959 and 2008.
- powerful navies to transport soldiers and equipment to areas of potential conquest, and then protect sea-routes and coastlines from enemies
- large and advanced armed forces to conquer territory and then control it
- businesses, often government owned, to exploit resources in the conquered territories by mining (gold, tin) and plantation farming (rubber, tea, coffee)
- a fleet of merchant ships, protected by a navy, to transport goods back to the home country
- people from the home country to act as the government and civil service to run the colonies
Empires were maintained directly by force. Attempts by the conquered people to rebel against the colonial power were brutally suppressed. Britain had the largest empire, reaching its peak in 1920 when it controlled 24% of land globally.
Empires ended in the period 1950-70. European countries gave independence to their colonies, because the costs of maintaining them was too high as Europe rebuilt after WW2. Since 1950, China has effectively acted as a colonial ruler of Tibet, brutally suppressing dissent during rebellions by Tibetans in 1959 and 2008.