Imperialism - Colonialism. The difference [I Love History]

This is a source of irritation to me when i hear people using the wrong term to describe what happens in the last century or centuries to a particular territory or area of the world..

Imperialism and Colonialism are two Different things..

Colonialism:: You need one group of people to establish a colony in the lands of another group of people for it to be termed colonialism.. The objective of a Colony is to transfer your people to establish a settlement for Permanent residence of your people in the other land.. The people who are sent to a colony are Not supposed to return but to become permanent residents of that land.. Now sometimes in history both Colonialism and Imperialism where both in operation.. An example of this would be the USA while it was under the control of the British Empire.. Now most colonies end up rebelling against their imperialist founders and the USA and many other countries in the world had revolutions where the descendants of the colonists rebelled against the Imperial power to obtain independence..

Imperialism:: Imperialism on the other hand does not have the objective of colonizing the subjugated territory.. The objective in History was mostly to obtain exclusive trading rights over that territory.. An imperial power would take control of a territory to keep other imperial powers for getting it first.. Yes the imperial power would send their people to that territory but they where usually occupying military forces and bureaucratic officials to impose the will of the imperial power on that territory.. These people where not expected to remain in that territory indefinitely.. Solders would do a term of service and return back to their home country upon completion of their term of service.. Likewise with the bureaucrats and the Governor.. An example of Imperialism would be Egypt in the last century under the imperial control of the UK.. The UK wanted strategic control of the Suez canal to ensure it's ships quick passage to India and the rest of it's empire in Asia.. Most nations in the middle east and Asia experienced Imperialism but did not experience Colonialism.. The objective of the UK was not to set up a city of English people in Egypt or India or China.. But to control ports and thus have exclusive trading rights..

So when i read someone saying that middle eastern countries where subjected to colonialism i whine with irritation. Nope they never experienced colonialism.. They did however experience Imperialism..

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Miram · 31-35, F

No offence but 🤔 I see no difference when your loved ones are killed or raped or driven to the edge of extermination whether under imperialism or colonialism. Which is one the contexts those distinctions aren't being made.

Adstar · 56-60, M

@Miram Yes islamic jihad did rape kill and exterminate many people as it expanded out of the Arabian peninsular across northern Africa into Europe and eastward into Northern India.. That was closer to imperialism but the primary objective was not trade rights but the enforcing of a religion over people of other cultures.. Of course the made a lot of money out of pillaging the infidels and trading African slaves.. Their Jihad continues to this day in many parts of Africa and South east Asia..

Miram · 31-35, F

@Adstar

Also I did little research and it looks like even some experts use them interchangeably.

I like this explanation:

[quote]In simple words, colonialism can be thought to be a practice and imperialism as the idea driving the practice.[/quote]

https://www.drishtiias.com/mains-practice-question/question-135#:~:text=Though%20both%20the%20words%20underline,the%20idea%20driving%20the%20practice.

and

[quote]The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy differentiates colonialism vs. imperialism by saying that “Colonialism is a practice of domination, which involves the subjugation of one people to another. One of the difficulties in defining colonialism is that it is hard to distinguish it from imperialism. Frequently the two concepts are treated as synonyms. [/quote]

http://internationalrelations.org/colonialism-vs-imperialism/

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Roman invasions, Christian invasions, Islamic invasions, Ottoman invasions later on AND French and British colonialism all employed the same methods. There is no distinction in reality in their methods. Same disrespect for the cultures they invaded.

I am leaning to believe your preferences to define the terms this way, even if I agree with them in some contexts, are not objective and they are done to undermine the consequences

Adstar · 56-60, M

@Miram defintions change and people manipulate definitions to fit a political agenda of leftist universities are well know as changing definitions of old words to adjust history to fit a modern day political agenda.. Colonialism needs a Colony to be colonialism.. Creating a new definition of the world colonialism does not change what it actually was in the times when it was established..

Miram · 31-35, F

@Adstar

Actually the distinction you believe in was much recent than the definitions I mentioned, it is more recent than taking colonialism as the practice and what happens in reality vs imperialism being strictly the motivation 🤔

It is why not all experts use it the way you prefer. One can argue the manipulation happened in those that reflect your own preferences rather than the opposite.

It is tricky subject.

assemblingaknob · 26-30, F

@Miram Very nice. Thank you.

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@Miram very true

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@Adstar Islamic jihad is nothing but more than a bi product of western jihad. We created by arming Saudis and other rebels to fight and kick Russia out of Afghanistan, those were needed, then Israel feed them to destroy Asad. This is an ugly game. They are all feeding each other. We buy their oil, and turn around sell them our luxuries and culture and our wepaons to kill each other. The money comes right back to us. Our factories and offices continue run on their blood soaked money.