Balite, Perseus Homer M. Prof.

Dwight David Diestro

HIST 150 11 October 2017
Synthesis paper on the five phases

End of Empire (Five Phases)

Upon setting the premises of the paper: modernity to be around the year 1500 — the
discovery of the new world, we shall discuss in adequate detail the timeline of European
ascendency from the year 1400 to the year 1950. On this timeline five phases are evident
which goes from 1415-1773 (expansion), 1775-1824 (contraction), 1824-1912 (expansion),
1914-1939 (unstable equilibrium) and 1940-1980 (contraction).
According to Ashcroft, Griffiths and Tiffin, modernity has transcended just being the
‘here and now’, but has also become a reference to the modes of social organization that
emerged in Europe from about the sixteenth century and its extension through the European
explorations and its colonizations. This encompasses the Euro-centrism that has occurred
along with European dominance that emerged on this particular part in the timeline.
The first phase as stated by Abernerthy is the longest among the five. Unprecedented
growth of the European powers and influences is easily seen. This phase sets its focus on the
new world. Although the Europeans were not the first to have reached this part of the globe,
the difference in attitudes set them apart from other entities. Their immense possessiveness
led them to control the unowned spaces on this chunk of land.

Abernethy further expounds by saying that there were five states that capitalized on
this movement of empire building. These were the Portuguese, Spanish, Netherlands, English
and France. On this development, Dr. Fieldhouse then classifies the types of colonies that
were present under this movement of empire building (pure settlement colonies, mixed
colonies, plantation colonies, colonies of occupation and naval bases). Similar with
capitalism, a major motivator of this exploration was economic gain. Mercantilism was the
leading mode of thinking in this time.
For the second phases, Abernathy says that this was the shortest phase among the five.
He also says that this was a time of decolonization of the new world which led to the weaking
of European power and influence in the new world caused by the dissent of the colonies.
Revolts of slaves were predominant in this window of time. Along this, there were also an
internal turmoil within the European nations which exacerbated the current situation thus
making it out of hand.
Identity played a big role in this operation, particularly racial homogeneity, which led
to the awareness and separation of the colonies and the Europeans. With this, decolonization
hastened and a rapid pace of the loosening of European’s grasp on its colonies materialized.
On the development of decolonization there were three types of violence that can be seen:
internal war of the European nations, warfare of the metropole and its colonies and conflicts
of colonies within itself through the manipulation of events.
 Buzan and Segal’s outlook on identity comes in handy. Although the genesis of
identity can be dated back from a very long time ago, the advancement of European
ascendency helped in pinpointing some aspects that will clearly showcase this. Buzan and
Segal stated that shared identities are crucial to social cohesion and rival identities are
foundations of conflict. This is clearly seen in the colonies and the metropoles, respectively.
Nationalism was also exhibited in the first two phases; the racial superiority of the
Europeans (from their viewpoint) and the unity of each colonies (one major aspect is the
shared hatred of the colonies to the Europeans which stems from injustice). Aside from these,
shared language, culture and common history are also major key points in the making of
nationalism. Hypernationalism of the European’s are explicitly seen from phase 1 up to phase
5. This is observed by their thinking that their race is superior compared to the colonies and
the advancement of their race is of paramount importance compared to other things.
One result of hypernationalism is the discord between two nations, with one nation
thinking that it is superior to the other and justifying assertion of dominance and control over
the other. Parenti shows that through these, injustices are amplified. The abuse of the colonies
over the colonizers further escalates. He exemplifies this by citing the harsh state of people in
colonies (India, Africa and the like) that experienced forced labor and cheap remuneration of
physical work.
Abernethy follows up on phase 2 by providing information on the reclamation of
some power of the European, through its expansion in its holdings in Asia, Africa and
Oceania. This was known as the third phase. The territorial focus on this span of time would
go back to the old world wherein commerce would then have the metropoles as its center.
This was augmented by the advent of railroads which gave railway constructions connecting
markets from one place to another in a more technologically advanced manner. The previous
five states on the empire building remained active in the 19th century. Portugal moved inland
from Angola and Mozambique to claim large swaths of southern Africa, Spain (grew the
least) acquired minor holdings in northwest and equatorial Africa while losing the
Philippines, Cuba and Puerto Rico, Netherlands extended effective control of the East Indies,
English retained its colonies from the wars and France constructed and immense empire in
north, west and equatorial Africa, Madagascar, Indochina and Pacific. The five states were
added with three west European countried that came from mergers of small autonomous
political entities: Belgium (gained a strategic colony in the heart of Africa; the Congo Free
State), Italy (gained footholds in the Horn of Africa and consolidation in their hold of Libya)
and Germany (unification through Prussian leadership). Aside from these eight states two
more states out of this region also emerged: United States (won the West) and Russia (won
the South). It is noteworthy to add that Japan was the first non-European to create a saltwater
empire during the time of industrial revolution. Japan leveraged on the use of technological
advancements made by the industrial revolution and exploited the fact that they were ahead
of other nations.
During phase 3, a more dispersed empire building occurred. Competition among
nations became a catalyst to aggravate the state of empire building. Relations among states
were very sensitive. Negative externalities were also brought by the Europeans to indigenous
people of the new world, e.g. measles, smallpox, dysentery, diphtheria and tuberculosis.
Racial differences were also worsened and stigmatized.
 Parenti shares a viewpoint that poverty in the colonies were artificially cause by
imperialism. This is illustrated in the coercion on the colonies leading to maltreatment of the
indigenous people. He says that it is not innate but rather brought upon by imperialism which
advocates hypercapitalism which solely focuses on the maximum profit without regard to
moral concepts and values which abhors such acts.
The fourth phase, according to Abernethy, envelops two world wars and the great
depression. This came from internal disputes of the Western Europe which in turn affected
the colonies surrounding them. Abernethy illustrates the phase as a self-cancelling phase
through the juxtaposition of losses and gains. This was the height of imperialism as well as
nationalism.
The last phase as shown by Abernethy was the end of empire. Eighty-one colonies
and four quasi-colonies gained independence from the metropole and were recognized as
sovereign states. The violence depicted in the second phase was still prevalent in the fifth
phase but was less extensive.
References:
Buzan, B and Segal, G. (1994). ANTICIPATING THE FUTURE, pp. 117-128
Ashcroft, B., Griffiths, G, and Tiffin, H. (2003). Post-Colonial Studies, pp.30-51 and 122-147

Parenti, M. (2011). Imperialism 101, pp. 1-13

Abernethy, D.B., (2002). The Dynamics of Global Dominance. Retrieved from
https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/Hist%20150.docx?token=AWySVnWjMZZ5gc7FEQ