imperial expansion
Conquest of territories
Imperial expansion is the process by which an empire extends its territory, influence, or control over other regions and peoples.
This typically involves military conquest, colonization, economic dominance, or political subjugation: The 19th century saw aggressive imperial expansion by European powers across Africa and Asia.
The term often carries critical connotations, implying exploitation of conquered populations and resources.
- annexationAbsorbing territory into jurisdiction
- occupationOne's regular paid work
- empire-buildingGrowing one's domain
- great powersInternationally dominant nation-states
- treatiesFormal agreements between states
resource extraction · spheres of influence · buffer state · warfare · mercantilism · civilizing mission · white man's burden · trade routes · expansionism · crown jewel · scramble for Africa · carving up · imperialism · vassal states · settler colonialism · native peoples · gunboat diplomacy · extraterritoriality
- colonialismcolony, colonization, colonial rule, colonial powers, colonizer
- imperialismempire building, colonization, British Empire, colonies, colonial rule
- Ancient PersiaPersepolis, Cyrus the Great, Xerxes, Behistun inscription, satrap
- Japanese EmpireManchuria, Korea, Taiwan, China, Hirohito
- military aggressioninvasion, unprovoked attack, offensive war, first strike, preemptive strike
- Portuguese EmpirePortugal, spice trade, Vasco da Gama, Age of Discovery, slave trade
imperial expansionisolationism
Policy avoiding foreign alliances
non-interventionism · neutrality · insularity · autarky · introversion
imperial expansiondecolonization
Ending imperial control
imperial collapse · dismemberment · retrenchment · withdrawal · partition
imperial expansionnational liberation
Freedom from foreign domination
self-determination · independence movements · autonomy · home rule · indigenous sovereignty