The 5 differences between colonialism and imperialism

The concepts of colonialism and imperialism are often confused, but they are not synonymous. It is true that both are political, military and economic phenomena in which one nation subjugates another to exploit and use it to its advantage in its geostrategic objectives, but beyond this resemblance, it is necessary to distinguish between what each.

In this article we will see what are the differences between colonialism and imperialism and in what ways each affects people's lives.

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Main differences between imperialism and colonialism

In the present or in the past, most people have been unable to enjoy sovereignty to decide on their territory. The interests of foreign powers, many times, govern everything that happens both in the public and private spheres. And it is that neither the force of the arms nor the one of the favors bought with money know borders.

Below you can find a list with the differences between colonialism and imperialism.

1. Term breadth

The concept of imperialism refers to the suppression of the national sovereignty of the population of a country, either formally or informally, in favor of another, who dominates the first.

On the other hand, colonialism can be understood as a way of suppressing the sovereignty of one region and in favor of another that is more concrete than imperialism. Thus, colonialism is a relatively specific phenomenon, while imperialism is a broader concept, as we will see.

2. The explicit or implicit character of domination

In colonialism it is evident that there is a country that dominates another by force, in the same way that a kidnapper dominates the hostage. This does not prevent the dominant nation from taking advantage of the situation, as it does not need to give the impression that it does not direct all the relevant political and economic events that occur in the dominated.

In imperialism, on the other hand, it may happen that the country that exploits the other follows a strategy for which its dominating role is disguised, by creating the conditions so that it appears that the weak country is sovereign. For example, it does not directly contradict the decisions of local government bodies, although These are subject to what the foreign authorities dictate. It may be the case that the royal authorities of a country are in an embassy, ​​and not in the national parliament or congress.

3. Use or not of direct physical violence

Where there is colonialism, violence towards the population can be exercised with relative freedom, without having to render accounts to other authorities. This is done both to suppress possible popular revolts in the colonies from the metropolises and to to make clear the military superiority of the colonizing nation over the colonized through fear.

On the other hand, in imperialism it is not essential to resort to the use of direct military repression against the population to make domination effective. This is so because the tools that the dominating country can use to impose its interests are so varied that it will be able to choose other avenues, such as propaganda. On many occasions, the dominant elites are not identified with the owners of capital coming from abroad.

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4. Differences in the arrival of colonizers

In colonization, there is always an arrival of settlers who arrive on the occupied lands, often directly expelling their former owners without a purchase being made. These can be families whose emigration may have been promoted by the metropolis to weaken the influence of the native ethnic groups, or it may be a minority of families that limit themselves to possessing the great resources of this territory. Furthermore, these families live separate from the native population, dealing only with servants.

In imperialism, on the other hand, this form of emigration does not have to occur and, in fact, it is It is often the inhabitants of the subjugated lands who are forced to emigrate to the metropolis. On the other hand, under imperialism the dominated country can be stable enough so that it is not necessary for the families that control the territory to move to the area.

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5. Objectives sought by the dominant country

Wherever there is colonialism, there is also the will to exploit the natural resources of the subjugated region. Thus, raw materials are extracted from these areas and these are normally processed in the nation that dominates the other, since it is in this phase of production where there is more added value.

In imperialism the above situation can also occur, but it does not always happen. Sometimes just a region is dominated to further military or other interests. For example, it is possible to take control of a country close to another with which it is competing to destabilize the region and harm the adversary by making it always subject to the risk of internal rebellions, secessionist movements, etc.

conclusion

Both colonialism and imperialism are based on suppressing the sovereignty of a national collective in favor of the extractive or geostrategic interests of the elites of the dominant country, but beyond this both types of power are wielded somewhat differently.

Colonialism is generally based on brute force in order to loot resources natives of the subject area, as well as to exploit the popular classes through slavery or semi-slavery. In imperialism, this domination can be more disguised under the pretext that each individual has the freedom to offer or not the jobs that are offered to him and the commercial deals that he can choose from his position of clear inferiority.

In any case, the ruling elites make use of the material inequalities that already exist between their country of origin and the subject country. to create new inequalities through the exploitation of other countries and a tight control of the borders.