2015-05-26
1273
The British Isles are situated on the crossways of sea routes. That helped the British fleet to develop very early in history. In the 17th century Britain became not only the “workshop of the world” but also “the mistress of the seas”. Her ships carried the products of Britain industries all over the world and brought back food and raw materials.
Large territories of India, Australia, America and Africa became dependent on the British Empire. Britain sent to these overseas lands soldiers and clerks to look after its property. Settlers from Britain moved to these new lands in search of riches. Some colonies were self-governing or dominions, such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Others like India, Africa and West Indies were ruled by a governor appointed from Britain.
At the period of its prosperity the British Empire covered one quarter of the earth and had one quarter of the world’s population. The colonial system of Britain was founded on the three principal stages of capitalist development – Merchant Capital, Industrial Capital and Financial Capital. Merchant Capital initiated and dominated the first period of large-scale overseas colonial expansion. This was the period of freebooting and plundering expeditions, of the slave trade, of the conquest of newly discovered overseas territories, extermination of the original inhabitants and establishment of colonial settlements by migration. Colonies were direct source of wealth for the home country.
Cheap raw materials were drawn from all over the world. The products of British machine industry dominated the markets of every country. British shipping, under the protection of the British Navy, dominated the world trade. The old colonial system provided the main basis for the primary accumulation of capital which made possible the Industrial Revolution. The era of industrial capital had given place to the era of finance capital.
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At the end of the 19th century Britain began to lose industrial supremacy to become the great user and the colonial exploiter, sucking tribute from all over the world. The direction of capital investment and accumulation more and more overseas had led to the neglect and decay of home industry. The imperialist system of British economy had entered into deepening crisis and approached collapse.
The population of the colonies began to struggle against the British colonists. The freedom struggle and revolt of colonial peoples against their oppression had developed and led to powerful national liberation movements. India, Burma, Pakistan and many colonies in Africa became independent. Britain lost military strength and employment for its population.
British imperialism has greatly weakened today, both by the pressure of American imperialism and by the advance of the revolt of the colonial peoples, as well as through its own international economic disorganization and contradictions. And yet British imperialism is not finished. It is trying to adopt many new forms and techniques to meet new conditions, in order to continue to promote its age-old aims of extracting the super-profits of colonial exploitation.
Notes
1) dominion – доминион (во времена бывшей Британской Империи: самоуправляющее государство, входящее в состав этой империи и зависящее от нее в своей внутренней и внешней политике);
2) freebooting and plundering expeditions – пиратские и грабительские набеги;
3) technique – метод, способ;
4) meet new conditions – соответствовать новым условиям;
5) revolt – восставать.
