February 26 marked a significant milestone, observing the 140th anniversary of a pivotal moment in Western imperialism: the Berlin Conference of 1885. Convened by German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, this assembly aimed to prevent discord among the Great Powers as they began to exploit Africa’s vast resources. After extensive discussions, fourteen nations, including Germany and Great Britain, solidified an agreement on how best to carve up the continent for their colonial ambitions.
Recent retrospectives have intriguingly explored the Berlin Conference and its profound aftereffects on both colonisers and the colonised. However, what remains overshadowed is how a critical economic rupture incited the ‘Scramble for Africa’, heralding the first significant crisis in modern capitalism. This crisis’s repercussions are woven into the very fabric of ongoing global inequality.
During the 19th century, the elite in industrial nations thrived, buoyed by a firm belief in perpetual capitalist growth. They were convinced that the past horrors of dispossession would not need to recur. However, this comforting illusion crumbled dramatically with the Panic of 1873, the first truly international economic crisis, exposing a harsh reality: domestic markets could no longer absorb the vast oversupply of goods, leading to stagnation and threatening the capitalist system.
As observed by Hannah Arendt, the inability to find profitable domestic investments transformed society into a realm of speculation rather than sustainable production. The decade preceding imperialism was marred by financial scandals and rampant gambling, highlighting the urgency of the situation where capital couldn’t find a home, driving the push for overseas expansion.
Faced with economic turmoil, the industrial elite realised that breaking down borders was key to survival. National and business interests merged, prioritising imperialistic ambitions over local stability. The Berlin Conference epitomised this shift, where financiers turned state power into a tool for furthering economic interests. As Joseph Chamberlain noted, achieving progress demanded sacrifices and force.
Force was essential for the capitalist classes to safeguard overseas investments, with the Berlin Act representing a critical junction reinforcing that state power should protect financial expansion. This strategy—solving crises through territorial acquisition instead of reform—became a legacy of capitalism, echoing in today’s marketplace.
In 1902, J.A. Hobson attributed the roots of imperialism to the concentration of wealth among a small elite, who fail to stimulate domestic demand. When half the nation’s population controls a mere fraction of its wealth, corporations, lacking consumer bases at home, turn to foreign markets as avenues for growth. Throughout history, instead of addressing inequality, capitalist economies have opted for relentless expansion, a trajectory stemming from the Berlin Conference’s very inception to contemporary corporate practices.
Though the means of expansion have evolved—from colonial gunboats to modern trade networks— the rationale remains unchanged. Today’s corporate maneuvers echo past imperialist justifications, framed as quests for democracy and development. While distracting narratives circulate around cultural changes and migration, the real systemic issues driving inequality persist. Until these factors address the root causes, the patterns set in motion by the Berlin Conference will continue to influence global power dynamics, perpetuating cycles of exploitation and imperialism.
The Berlin Conference of 1885 marked a pivotal moment in Western imperialism, encouraging collective plunder of Africa’s resources. This event sparked the ‘Scramble for Africa’ amid a significant economic crisis in capitalism. The resultant patterns of wealth concentration led to ongoing cycles of expansionism, with modern corporations mirroring historical ideologies in seeking new markets to resolve crises of inequality. The legacy of the Berlin Conference continues to influence global dynamics today, underlining the need for a deeper examination of economic structures to address these enduring issues.
In essence, the Berlin Conference of 1885 catalysed a profound shift in global economic paradigms, giving rise to imperialism as a solution to crises of capitalism. The repercussions of this historic gathering continue to resonate in today’s landscape, where wealth concentration and corporate interests drive foreign policies. The patterns established from this imperial era create a cyclical relationship between economic inequality and expansionism. Until we confront these structural issues, historical injustices will persist in shaping our world.
Original Source: www.counterpunch.org
