Difference between colonialism and imperialism

Colonialism and imperialism are two domination systems or political, military, economic and cultural influence that, although they are not the same, share some characteristics.

In both systems, for example, control or dominance over foreign nations or territories or remote from that of the power itself, and, in both also, the powers get benefits economic, political and military of this situation of subjection. But how does each act?

What is colonialism?

Colonialism, which is a system of political and military domination in which a power, for the purposes called a metropolis, exercises a formal and direct control over other territories, called colonies.

In colonialism, the domination of the local or indigenous population always occurs through the imposition of force, which, at times, can have serious consequences, such as the massacre of the population that opposes and even the destruction of the cultural heritage of a people or nation, such as the genocide.

In this way, colonial territories they are subject to a regime of political, economic and military dependency, and do not enjoy freedoms or the right to self-determination.

Meanwhile, its economic resources are indiscriminately exploited by the power, and the local population is subjected to military, political and culturally, to the point that, on occasions, it is even imposed another language and another religion, in addition to the laws and institutions of the power.

A historical example of colonialism it was practiced by Spain or Portugal, in America.

What is imperialism?

Imperialism, for its part, is a regime of political control in which a power extends its influence over other peoples or states, either through force (militarily), or through economic, cultural or political influence.

The reasons that move the imperial powers to control other States, nations or territories are diverse: exploitation of the economic resources, cultural subordination, strategic occupation of military places, settlement of uninhabited territories, etc.

In imperialism, social and political dynamics of inequality are produced: one nation imposes itself on another with the objective of exercising directly or indirectly over it the political control and manage its economic resources, justifying this in a supposed racial superiority or cultural.

In modern times, imperialism is understood rather as the expansion process of an economic power in order to obtain raw materials and cheap labor, as well as a market for their exports.

Historical examples of imperialist powers it is made up of Rome, Greece, Egypt or Great Britain.

Differences between colonialism and imperialism

Although it is clear that the similarities between both systems are multiple, it is also important to point out that colonialism and imperialism differ in that while the former is exercised in a formal and direct way by the power, the second can use, in addition to the aforementioned mechanisms, other methods of control and political domination, economic or military, not necessarily formal and direct, which in the same way come to limit or limit the sovereignty, independence and freedom of the nations subordinate to their control. can.

Thus, all colonialism is a form of imperialism, while not all imperialism is, strictly speaking, colonialism, since colonialism is only one of the facets that the imperialism.