Colonialism

 prof.Abdelhamid Fouda 

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Colonialism:

 It started with rise of renaissance period when there was national approach of European Governments to ex to expand their influence in the other lands of the world. When trade was allowed to the other parts of the world and Europeans established their rules in those regions which were backward or low in power. There was a race of colonization among European giants to exert their power in maximum part of the world.

In western world, the structure power changed and new national states emerged in 1648 through Westphalia Treaty and a wave of national and a wave of nationalism was predominant in Europe. People demanded more liberties from their rulers and monarchy weakened in Europe. This led to the Glorious revolution in England in 1688 which curtailed the powers of king in England. Almost after 100 years in France there was French Revolution in France which toppled the rule Louis family. Russians were among those powers and Tzar Family didn’t work for colonization. There was another for not moving ahead that there were serious internal challenges to the Tzar Rule. Tzar rule slowly melted there was serious resistance in Russian particularly under the leadership of Lenin for the rise of (Labourers) Rule. It started in 1904 and finally it was completed in 1917. This established Russia as a Socialist Soviet Republic (USSR) and they call themselves republicans (democrats). 

During Russian revolution, there was WW-I 1914-18 (Germany, Austria & Turkey) (UK, France Italy & Russia i.e. USSR). Then there was rise of Nationalism in Germany led by Hitler (Nazism/Nationalism) whereas in Italy there was Fascism led by Mussolini. Both the leaders created dictatorship in their states and followed the policy of territorialization because both the states considered that they were treated badly during WW-I by other European powers.

Gradually, the stage for WW-II was set. At initial level, there was Spanish Civil War and the two forces within Spain fought with each other, i.e. Fascists (Supported by Germany and Italy) Republicans (Supported by USSR). At   the end Hitler’s associates won the Civil war and Hitler further occupied Poland, the integral part of USSR. This was the point of origin of WW-II. There were two groups (UK, France, USSR & USA) (Germany, Italy & Japan). First block finally was finally victorious and Germany was divided in four zones.

At the end of WW-I & WW-II, there were many states got freedom from colonialism particularly at the end of WW-II in 1945 the colonization ended in many parts of Asia and Africa. More or less there was rise of nationalism and people were demanding freedom from colonialism.