imperialism
/ɪmˈpɪ.ɹi.əˌlɪz.m̩/ · im.per.i.a.l.is.m
noun
- The policy of forcefully extending a nation's authority by territorial gain or by the establishment of economic and political dominance over other nations. The colonizers' imperialism led to the exploitation of the native population and their resources.
- A system of government in which a single ruler or group holds absolute power and control over a territory or people. The emperor's imperialism was marked by a series of brutal conquests and the suppression of dissent.
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Did you know? The term 'imperialism' was first used by the French writer and historian Joseph Charles Marie de Maistre in the early 19th century to describe the expansion of European empires in Asia and Africa.