The acquisition of resources, land, influence, population, etc. through aggressive diplomacy/military force in order to gain an edge on rival factions or in an attempt to achieve everlasting total supremacy over all other factions. Imperialism saw a sharp rise in the early 20th century, in which various predominant European and Asian monarchies in dire need of raw resources to upkeep their growing industrial and economic needs frequently engaged in minor
skirmishes with their weaker neighbors and distant, underdeveloped lands. This in turn contributed to the outbreak of
World War 1, in which tensions for new territories rich in resources pitted imperial alliances against each other after the assassination of
Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand.
Example:
Most well known imperialist states and their justifications for imperialism:
-Roman Empire(The greatest empire to ever exist. Many monarchies have tried to emulate its success at
transcontinental unification and longevity.)
-Holy Roman Empire(Arguably the successor to the Roman Empire.)
-British Empire(Once a dominant hyper power, owning a third of the world’s
landmass.)
-German Empire(A culturally rich European state who was a key player in the
central powers’ military campaigns throughout
World War 1.)
-Ottoman Empire(A culturally rich and ancient Middle Eastern state founded in 1299 C.E. that served as a bastion of civilization to the now shattered muslim world for more than 600 years. It’s downfall was brought about by the defeat of the central powers at the end of World War 1, which it was a part of.)
-Egyptian Empire(A truly ancient and extremely well known imperialist state which inhabited North Africa. It enslaved many of its neighbors and launched frequent military expeditions and raids in order to acquire more resources for the glory of their Pharaohs, which were considered gods, and the well being of the nation.)
-Akkadian Empire(A monumental leap in organized government and state planning in the history of our species, the Akkadian Empire was the first hyper power in the entire world. It developed in the year 2234 B.C. in the
Fertile Crescent, an area in Mesopotamia credited with being the cradle of human civilization.)