The destructive effects of imperialism were:
i. Trade of Slaves: The imperial nations ill-treated the people by buying and selling slaves for getting labour at cheaper prices.
ii. Decline of Values: The policy of ‘divide and rule’ adopted by the imperial nations in order to maintain their reign, sowed the seeds of hostility among social groups.
This led to degradation of morality because of enemity, violence, selfishness and indulgence among the people.
iii. Economic Exploitation: The European nations competed amongst each other to procure raw materials and markets for their products.
Undeveloped nations were the best source of such needs. Hence, they were colonized and exploited to the full extent.
iv. Destruction of Village Autonomy: The land revenue system adopted by the British government had a totally adverse influence on the rural life in India.
Farmers mortgaged their land for paying taxes to the British government. As a result, they became bankrupt. The workers also lost their jobs due to closure of many small scale industries.
v. Suppression of Underdeveloped Nations: In order to develop their economy, Imperial nations colonized many underdeveloped nations.
vi. Armament Race: The cut-throat rivalry amongst the imperial nations gave rise to an arms race. Every European nation grew suspicious of the other and braced up its military powers.
The desire for ruling other nations and small scale struggles gradually magnified into an intense conflict which eventually led to the First World War in the year 1914.
