What is European imperialism?

Question

What is European imperialism?

Answer 1

European imperialism is feudism.

Ex. The lords and peasants, the peasants would work to pay of a lord from money they borrowed.

I believe it took place in the medival times.

Answer 2

There is an historical answer to this question and a modern one as well.

Historically, the discoveries of Marco Polo, Vasco da Gama, John Cabot, Christopher Columbus and Hernan Cortez between (say) 1400 and 1600 led many European countries to set up colonies in other parts of the world.  So Europe gradually set up trading posts, then garrisons and eventually entire cities and empires in North and South America, Africa, India and Asia.

The purpose of that imperialism was to gain control over resources such as spices, precious metals, gemstones, ores and rare earths, and often slaves, of course.  That imperialism lasted until 1961 when the Portugese finally withdrew from Goa, on the Western coast of India and the Belgians left the Congo.  There are a few European colonies still remaining but there is no resource issue these days.  Colonies now tend to be very small islands or settlements with little wealth to offer but a romantic and historical link to Europe.

The modern version of European imperialism has arisen from the formation of the European Union in its original form of the Common Market.  From a distant developing country's point of view, the Common Market was an impenetrable trading block, into which it was all but impossible to export produce and manufactures.  The Common Market was just another tariff barrier area for the rest of the world.

In the past 15 years or so, the EU has been able to strike deals with national governments in Africa, South America, Asia etc. to produce great benefits to Europe at the expense of those poorer countries.  This is a new kind of imperialism, whereby the rich countries of Europe absorb cheap materials and produce from poor economies and to sell expensive goods to countries who have insufficient international power to change EU policy.

The emergence of India and China as growing consumer societies will upset this imbalance, presumably to the advantage of the new developing  economies .  Already, Indian companies have taken over major chunks of European industry, such as vehicles, steel and pharmaceuticals, and telecommunications.  It looks as if European imperialism is going into reverse, as the rest of the world buys up European industry and property.