The Atlantic revolutions did not change the status quo of the relations between the imperial elites and the colonies. These imperial empires were Britain and France. As in the old imperial drive, the major influence of this new imperial drive was driven by economic reasons, one being the need to get raw materials for their industries which needed them in large quantities as it was during the industrial revolution (Roy, 2018). Another reason was to get new markets for their products manufactured in their industries during the industrial revolution and the third being searching for new lands in which to resettle the surplus population and to practice agriculture.
Like in the old imperial revolution, technology also played a role in the post-Atlantic revolution imperialism (Kiernan, 2005). In terms of transport, the invention of steamboats eased travel as the ships could also carry huge loads of raw material to the factories and also fighting men and equipment to fight in new conquests or to put down resistance to their rule in their colonies. Railways made the movement of people and goods faster and the telegraph eased communication as messages from the homeland were transmitted to the colonies. Wars could be ended decisively when the machine gun was invented during the industrial revolution as well as bombs. These were used by the armies to kill as many opposing fighters during war and scare them into submission as in the wars of conquest fought by the British in Asia and Africa in the 19 th century
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The imperial powers utilized a variety of methods to rule over their empires and some involved the manipulation of the local political structures to their advantage to get a leader who would protect their interests (Roy, 2018). Local leaders of the lands could be bribed with gifts to do the imperial agenda or they could be removed by force if persuasion failed. This was indirect rule and it was done by the British while the French applied assimilation and direct rule by using French administrators to administer its colonies. The purpose was to rid the locals off their culture and make them appreciate French culture and in the long run, make them French. Both powers used Segregation and racism too. Whites favored staying in urban areas and they maintained their majority through laws that limited indigenous population there, laws that only permitted few and educated people to live there.
References
Kiernan, V. G. (2005). America, the New Imperialism: From White Settlement to World Hegemony . Brooklyn: Verso.
Roy, S. (2018). Imperialism, the ‘old’ and the ‘new’. The Changing Face of Imperialism , 15-36.
