ABSTRACT
In the heart of Europe a new state had come into being that covered a huge territory stretching from France to Russia, a state with a large and fast growing population and a dynamic economy based on industry, technology and science, a country, moreover, with a powerful army and an impressive military tradition. The relations between Europeans and non-Europeans were increasingly coloured by racism, which found semi-scientific support in social Darwinism. The European armies continued to suffer substantial losses as a result of disease, the chances of survival were rising considerably. Another factor was technological advancement: railways, steamboats, canals, telegraph wires - these all created the infrastructure necessary for an imperial system. Imperialism is the endeavour of the great controllers of industry to broaden the channel for the flow of their surplus wealth by seeking foreign markets and foreign investments to take off the goods and capital they cannot sell or use at home.
