The Dual Motivations of Economic Gain and Ideological Factors in Late 19th Century Imperialism
J.A. Hobson, a British theorist, and Vladimir Lenin, the Russian revolutionary and leader of the Bolshevik (later Communist Party) in the Soviet Union, both criticized late 19th century imperialism as a capitalist conspiracy by “big business” to subjugate colonies for pure economic gain. Colonies provided cheap raw materials and guaranteed markets for European and …