Colonialism

Colonialism is the expansion of one people or nation into the territory of another people or nation to establish a material, economic, political, and cultural presence. Archaeological evidence suggests and textual records confirm that human communities have been colonizing territories for millennia. Sometimes, the original intent has been simply to solve a problem of overcrowding or resource shortage through the peaceful establishment of new settlements with ties to the original community. At other times, the intent has been to establish commercial networks that foster the welfare of both the original and the colonial communities. Frequently, however, the colonial enterprise has been accompanied by military force with the primary purpose of extracting value from the colony to increase wealth, freedom, and power for the ruling class ...