HIST 3380 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: New Imperialism, Marxism, Eurocentrism
1 Jun 2016
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Hist3380 theories of empire: economic and empire. It was believed that moral improvement went hand-in-hand with material gain; therefore, economics found an important place in empire even through moral imperialism. Empire existed to improve british trade through positive trade surplus; Mercantilism creates the first political model for economics; colonies were restricted to trading with only the mother-country through a series of trade legislations. Navigation acts 17th-mid-18th century; trade may only occur on british ships; trade products must be bought and sold within britain so matter what other trade routes may offer; these acts led to the american revolution. Merchant adventure companies were products of the mercantilist system; trade ties world to empire: western triangular trade (europe, africa, america, eastern triangular trade (europe, india, china) Free movement of british goods and investment around world seen as key to prosperity. David ricardo and adam smith endorsed this view of free trade. Rise of informal empire through trade and investment.
