Colonialism and imperialism are two domination systems or political, military, economic and cultural influence that, although they are not the same, share some characteristics.
In both systems, for example, control or dominance over foreign nations or territories or remote from that of the power itself, and, in both also, the powers get benefits economic, political and military of this situation of subjection. But how does each act?
Colonialism, which is a system of political and military domination in which a power, for the purposes called a metropolis, exercises a formal and direct control over other territories, called colonies.
In colonialism, the domination of the local or indigenous population always occurs through the imposition of force, which, at times, can lead to serious consequences, such as the massacre of the population that opposes and, even, the destruction of the cultural heritage of a people or nation, such as genocide.
In this way, colonial territories they are subject to a regime of political, economic and military dependency, and do not enjoy freedoms or the right to self-determination.
Meanwhile, its economic resources are indiscriminately exploited by the power, and the local population is subjected militarily, politically and culturally, to the point that, on occasions, it is even imposed another language and another religion, in addition to the laws and regulations. institutions of power.
A historical example of colonialism it was practiced by Spain or Portugal, in America.
Imperialism, for its part, is a regime of political control in which a power extends its influence over other peoples or states, either through force (militarily), or through economic, cultural or political influence.
The reasons that move the imperial powers to control other States, nations or territories are diverse: exploitation of economic resources, cultural subordination, strategic occupation of military places, settlement of uninhabited territories, etc..
In imperialism there are social and political dynamics of inequality: one nation imposes itself on another with the aim of directly or indirectly exercising political control over it and managing its economic resources, justifying this in a supposed racial or cultural superiority.
In modern times, imperialism is understood rather as the process of expansion of an economic power in order to obtain raw materials and cheap labor, as well as a market for their exports.
Historical examples of imperialist powers it is made up of Rome, Greece, Egypt or Great Britain.
Although it is clear that the similarities between both systems are multiple, it is also important to point out that colonialism and imperialism differ in that while the former is exercised formally and directly by the power, the latter can use, in addition to the aforementioned mechanisms. , from other methods of political, economic or military control and domination, not necessarily formal and direct, which in the same way come to limit or limit the sovereignty, independence and freedom of the nations subordinate to their power..
Thus, all colonialism is a form of imperialism, while not all imperialism is, strictly speaking, colonialism, since colonialism is just one of the facets that imperialism can assume..
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