[Topic wise IAS World History Question Bank (1979-2015)]: (5) Imperialism and Colonialism

Imperialism and Colonialism:
(i) South and South-East Asia
(ii) Latin America and South Africa
(iii) Australia
(iv) Imperialism and free trade: Rise of neo-imperialism.
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1. What do you understand by Imperialism? How did it affect the people of Asia in the nineteenth century? [1979, 60 Marks]

2. “Holland was engaged in a systematic exploitation of Indonesia in the nineteenth century.” Elucidate. [1979, 60 Marks]

3. The years 1840 to 1860 confronted the Ching dynasty and the people of China with unprecedented crises due to imperialist designs of western powers. Discuss critically. [1980, 60 Marks]

4. Write a critical note on:  Theory of ‘The New imperialism’ after 1870. [1981, 20 Marks]

5. What was the culture system in the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) during the 19th century? Why was it dismantled? [1981, 60 Marks]

6 Write a critical note on: Importance of the Opium War in the history of China. [1981, 20 Marks]

7. “Imperialism and Colonialism have long employed as instruments of national policy.” Comment. [1982, 20 Marks]

8. How did the Treaty Port System in China develop between 1840 and 1860 ? What was its inference on Chinese attitude to foreigners? [1982, 60 Marks]

9. “Japanese policy in relation to Manchuria reacted back upon Japan affecting her both economically and politically.” Comment. [1982, 20 Marks]

10. “If imperialism is viewed as a phase of the struggle for power between States, its result must be judged in terms of its role in power politics.” Comment. [1984, 20 Marks]

11. “The Treaty of Nanking is the basic act in the imposing but unstable structure of international relations which governed China for a hundred years.” Comment. [1984, 20 Marks]

12. Critically examine the culture system in the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) during the nineteenth century. Why was it dismantled? [1985, 60 Marks]

13. “By 1861, China may be said to have been fully though grudgingly opened to the Westerner.” Comment. [1987, 20 Marks]

14. Why is the period from 1842 to 1900 considered as half a century of humiliations in the history of China? What was the reaction of China? [1988, 60 Marks]

15. Write a critique on the partition of Africa from 1870 to 1914, with particular reference to Germany’s imperial designs in the Continent. [1989, 60 Marks]

16. “The sponsors of the overseas expansion of Europe were national monarchies.” Comment. [1992, 20 Marks]

17. Divided into spheres of influence by foreign powers, China in the 19th century presented a sorry spectacle. How did China react to it. [1995, 60 Marks]

18. Trace the stages in the partition of Africa after 1870. How did it affect international relations? [1996, 60 Marks]

19. One great effect of the geographical discoveries of the 15th century was “the growing belief that America, Asia and Africa were to be used extensively for the benefit of Europeans.” Comment. [1998, 20 Marks]

20. “Portugal and Spain, the pioneers in world exploration, were also first in the race to conquer overseas countries.” Comment [1999, 20 Marks]

21. “The simultaneous expansion of European powers overseas during the last quarter of the 19th century  brought them into frequent collisions at a remote points all over Africa and Asia.” Comment. [2000, 20 Marks]

22. To what extent did the Western powers bring China under their domination without annexation? [2000, 60 Marks]

23. Trace the various stages of European imperialism in Africa in the nineteenth century. [2001, 60 Marks]

24. “Colonies are like fruits which cling to the tree only till they ripen.” Comment. [2006, 10 Marks]

25. “New imperialism was a nationalistic, not an economic phenomena.” Comment. [2007, 20 Marks]

26. Discuss the emergence of neo-imperialism in the late nineteenth century. [2009, 30 Marks]

27. “In all the long annals of Imperialism, the partition of Africa is a remarkable freak.” Comment. [2009, 20 Marks]

22. What do you understand by imperialism? State briefly its unique features in the case of Africa? [2010, 20 Marks]

28. Critically examine the Dutch colonial policy in Indonesia. [2010, 30 Marks]

29. Explain how American imperialism in Philippines differed with European imperialism in Indonesia and Indo-China. [2011, 30 Marks]

30. “Colonialism not only deprives a society of its freedom and its wealth, but of its very character, leaving its people intellectually and morally disoriented.” [2013, 20 Marks]

31. “New imperialism was a nationalistic, not an economic phenomena.” Critically examine. [2013, 25 Marks]

32. “The  commercial  and  industrial  interests  created  a  veritable  hothouse  atmosphere  in Europe for the establishment of colonies.” Critically examine. [2014, 10 Marks]

33. “To  what  extent  did  the  expansion  of  European  Powers  in  the  late  19th  century    help  in the modernization of Africa?” [2014, 10 Marks]

34. Critically  examine  the  socio-cultural  and  economic  impact  of  migration  in  Europe  and Asia in the 18th and 19th centuries. [2014, 20 Marks]

35. Discuss  the  nature  of  American  overseas  expansion  in  Asia  and  explain  the consequences. [2014, 10 Marks]

36. To  what  extent  did  the  expansion  of  European  Powers  in  the  late  19th  century    help  in the modernization of Africa ? [2014, 10 Marks]

37. “History of Africa appears to be simply an extension or mere sub-theme under the broad headings of European and American history. According to this historiography, Africa seems to be without any history before the European scramble.” Elucidate. [2015, 20 Marks]