Imperialism occurs when a strong nation takes over a weaker nation or region and dominates its economic, political, or cultural life.
The Reasons for Imperialism in the Southeast Asia
- natural resources and other products, including: oil
- Location: the land within these countries were "perfect for plantation agriculture," (Imperialism in Southeast Asia) whereas much of the land within Europe simply could not support farming on such a massive scale
- Religion and Superiority Complex: Europeans, who were predominantly Christian, quickly came to thinking, after spending time with citizens of other countries, that they were superior to these people, due to their religion and more civilized, at a European standpoint, nature as a whole. this led many European travelers to thrust upon themselves what was later called the "White Man's Burden", using their apparently superior frame of mind to educate the citizens of other nations in their ways of life, as well as in Christianity
For example: The Dutch and the Spanish controlled much of Southeast Asia during the early 1800s. The Dutch East Indies was renowned for its rich soil which allowed the harvesting of crops such as: coffee, pepper, cinnamon, sugar, indigo, and tea. Mines were formed to exploit the rich deposits of tin and copper. Forests yielded valuable timber including teak, ebony, and other hardwoods. The Dutch became notorious for the use of forced slave labor, known as the culture system, to gather these raw materials, while purposely discouraging westernization, or the spreading of European culture.