Historically, Imperialism has meant that strong countries have taken over weaker countries through military or persuasive means. The reasons for such actions were varied but inevitably it was done for the benefit of the stronger country. The imperial countries were wealthier and wanted to gain power and prestige. In the early nineteenth century such actions were seen as acceptable and even admirable. This is no longer true today. Stephen Howe writes "Ideas about empire have changed across the past century from general approval to near universal distaste" . Britain was one of the most successful imperialists of this period having colonies all over the world including Gambia, Sierra Leone, Gold Coast, Nigeria, South Africa, Rhodesia, Uganda, Kenya, Egypt, India, and Libya. The British were motivated by controlling natural resources, and access to cheap labour and to exclude other rival countries such as Germany, France and Russia. France had imperial power in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. "The French saw their role as bringing culture and civilisation to backward peoples" . France also gained trade benefits from their colonised countries excluding other western countries. Germany, Russia, and Belgium were also considered to be imperialist countries.
New Imperialism produced a race between Western powers to take control of other countries. The benefits were considered to include expansion of trade, location, resources, financial gain, standing amongst peer countries and the spreading of culture and religion Financially there were natural resources which could be turned into manufactured goods and sold. Politically there was a gain in prestige and national pride in owning a colony. From a military point of view, using soldiers to control and defend a colony showed the rest of the world you had the military capacity to do so and therefore should not be meddled with! Spreading your culture and religion was seen as a charitable thing to do (supposedly much to the benefit of the natives!) given the belief in the superiority of the countries own ways.
