Chapter 25: The West and the World

Chapter 25: The West and the World

1. Chapter 25 mainly deals with the World economy after industrialization, the Great Migration, and Western Imperialism. European industrialization revolutionized modern life and economy. Profit margins increased, labor became less privatized, and business became an insatiable force in world politics. After the initial surge of profits and business preceding the industrial revolution, Europe sought new opportunities to stimulate the economy. This economic growth caused world wealth to become "lopsided. Poverty led to the Great Migration, and economic growth led to an greed and Imperialism.

              b. Chapter Objective: Because Imperialism boggles my mind, I want to learn the exact motives               (and the previous historic trends) that caused people to go to such lengths to gain land.

             c. EQ: What was the general pattern of non-Western responses to Western expansion, and how did India, Japan, and China meet the imperialist challenge?
Initially, most countries resisted western influence. Rebellion or isolation techniques resulted in violent government suppression, gunboat diplomacy, or treaties. Japan and China resisted Western expansion using isolationism, but by threatening economic or military discipline, European countries 'opened up' these countries for trade, colonization, and missionary work. In India, Sepoys revolted and caused the Great Rebellion, which was suppressed by the British Government. After the rebellion, Britain loosened its charge on India. Traditionalists in these countries tried to preserve their culture, and modernists tried to westernize their country. In politics at least, modernization and westernization won. Japan adopted western government techniques of equality, industry, and military. China's Qing dynasty fell and the nation adopted a republic system. In india, a congress formed to represent the rights of India and demand independence. All in all, these non-Western countries met westernization with isolationism and rebellion, and eventually ended up adopting Western ideals into their culture.

2. POLITICAL CARTOONS:

  

Gordon Moffat, entitled, "A Study--Imperialism,"

- The Verdict on July 24, 1899 at

 This cartoon shows a white arm holding a scale. This scale is balancing the imperialistic idea, and several bodies of (what can be assumed) colonial natives. Underneath the natives on the side of the scale, is a pair of white hands, being warmed by a flame. The scale is extremely off balanced. The artist obviously does not approve of the utilitarian policy of "killing some, saving more". I agree with the artist, and I think he depicted the events well with use of the scale. The general idea of this is that Western imperialists used natives for their own material gain and justified it with utilitarian and social darwinist beliefs.

Unknown Author/Date

This cartoon depicts a face of an English man over eleven tentacles. The tentacles are all touching different countries, and one is just about to seize Egypt. The artist of this cartoon obviously disapproves of Britain's monopoly and greed of land. By showing Britain as a sea monster, the artist also tells the viewer that Britain is cruel, frightful, and sly. I agree with the artist's view point-I think Britain had an unfair amount of power and used it to enslave other countries and kill other economic competition. 

3. CURRENT US IMPERIALISM CARTOON:

Unknown Author/Date

This cartoon depicts a figure alike to Uncle Sam, wearing the label of Imperialism, and pregnant with a war missile. The artist views American Imperialism as a cause of war. America has intruded many countries (Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan) bearing the banner of peace and assistance. After we experience failure or rejection of our ideas, war breaks out. By the evil expression on Uncle (or Aunt?) Same's face, one can assume the artist condemns the USA for purposely invading countries knowing full well the risk of war. This stance is supported by the war we are currently waging in the middle East. However, I do not think America ever intends on waging war, I think we simply have bad timing and we make rash decisions.

4. Is the US imperialistic? Yes. The US is imperialistic. I do not think the US is imperialistic in the same way that Britain, Holland, France, and Germany were imperialistic before World War I. The United States is a great power, and has some responsibility to help countries who are experiencing conflict, and mediate countries threatening war. However, the US has intruded on countries for many weak reasons (WMD) that do not justify this belief. The US is greedy for oil and proud of its power, and gladly intervenes in other nation's conflicts with greed and arrogance. It is a combination of nationalism, good intentions, and greed that causes US imperialism. Though Britain, France, Germany, and Holland were all somewhat greedy and nationalistic, they had very few good imperialistic intentions. The United States' good intentions and sense of duty separates her imperialism from the rest. 

5. US EVENTS:

McCulloch v. Maryland: This famous supreme court case defined the balance of state and federal law. In the case, the congress passed "an act to impose a tax on all banks, or branches thereof, in the State of Maryland, not chartered by the legislature". James McCulloch, the head of the Baltimore branch of the Federal Bank, refused to pay the tax. This resulted in a debate of state sovereignty and federal supremacy. The case resulted in a ruling favoring federal supremacy over state law. At this point in US history, the states were still somewhat separate entities. State legislatures did not appreciate federal supremacy. This can be related to Britain's colonies in various locations outside of Europe. When these colonies rebelled, just as the state branch member rebelled, the supreme government overruled the complaint and asserted federal authority. McCulloch's rebellion can somewhat be compared to the Great Rebellion in India, which, like the McCulloch v. Maryland case, ended in more stringent federal law.

Trail of Tears: This famous relocation of members of the Cherokee, Muscogee, Seminole, Choctaw, and Chikasaw nations of eastern North America was caused by the Indian Removal Act of 1830. The Supreme Court ruled these nations unfairly as non-white citizens of an unofficial nation. When expansion conflicted with the land of these tribes, white men argued in court. Because of the Native Americans' limited standing in court, their pleas were denied. Militias forced the Native Americans out of their homes in southern North America to Tennessee, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. This is similar to the Boers' relocation in Africa due to the British colonizing of South Africa. These farmers had resided there before the British, and were forced northward by superior militias.

6. Imperialistic Uprisings: Indian Rebellion of 1857

Key players: 

Mangal Pandey

General Hearsey

Bahadur Shah II

Queen Victoria

Mangal Pandey, a sepoy, attacked a British officer while his regiment was in Barrackpore. General Hearsey, a British military leader, ordered another sepoy to arrest Pandey, but the second soldier refused. Regiments broke and sepoys united in rebellion; they marched to Delhi Fort, and pled for Bahadur Shah II to lead the rebellion. Revolt spread through the north; British forces eventually suppressed warfare in 1858. This caused Britain to withdraw the British East India Company's rule over India, promise equal treatment of Indian citizens, and crowned Princess Victoria as empress of India. It was one of the most successful rebellions in New Imperialism.

7. Current Uprisings-
Syria: 15 March 2011.
Bashir al-Assad-Supreme Ruler of Syria.
Alawites-offshoot of shiite branch of islam, mainly in military and government positions, loyal to Assad family
Free Syrian Army- combination of street protesters and Syrian army defections that takes on Assad's army
Jabhat al Nusra- radical and effective fighting force loyal to al Quieda
Sunni-majority of Free Syrian army, victims of Assad's oppression

In March 2011, pro-democratic citizens protested against the Assad family's authoritarian rule of Syria. Government militias suppressed rebel forces with violence and chemical warfare. Agitated by the unlawful violence, protesters have engaged in a full-on civil war to end the Assad regime.
In terms of success, thus far, the civil war has brought no change to the government. Assad insists that no replacement will be an improvement. Government military technology and force has yielded many victories over protesters. Because of interception of weapons and supplies, the US has stopped supporting the Syrian rebels. This civil war has not been successful thus far.

8. SUEZ CANAL
The Suez canal is owned and maintained by the Suez Canal Authoority (SCA) of Egypt. It is a well frequented used international trade route. 50 ships pass through the canal daily. The canal supports 8% of all worldwide shipping traffic. Since it was built, the Suez Canal has drastically improved trade efficiency. It is one of the most important factors in international trade.

9. 3-2-1
LEARNED:

• The actual motives for Imperialism, and how these motives were justified by lies and propaganda (racism and the idea of a "civilizing mission"). The motives were nationalism and international economic competition. 
• The different strategies used by European countries to colonize. These include trade agreements , guerilla warfare, and military blackmail
• How the industrialization of Europe played into Imperialism. After unification, countries were very nationalistic and became increasingly competitive. Because of industrialization, new technology was used to colonize and increase profits

INTERESTED IN

• European nations 'carving up' Africa did not engage in war against each other-however cruel they were to natives, they avoided conflict amongst different European colonies
• Imperialism was a key factor to World War I! I never knew the real cause of WWI, but it makes complete sense now that I see nationalism, racism, imperialism, militarism, and alliances in the pre-war time period

QUESTION

• Did non-imperialistic European countries reach a healthier economy, or were they indeed trampled by imperialism?