The main purpose of mercantilist politics was to

Mercantilism, economic theory and practice common in Europe from the 16th to the 18th century that promoted governmental regulation of a nation's economy for the purpose of augmenting state power at the expense of rival national powers. ... It was the economic counterpart of political absolutism.

superior technology and improved medical knowledge to foster imperialism. quinine enabled europeans

to survive tropical diseases and venture into the mosquito-infested interiors of africa and asia. the combination

of the steamboat and the telegraph enabled the western powers to increase their mobility and to quickly respond

to any situations that threatened their dominance. the rapid-fire machine gun also gave them a military advantage

and was in convincing africans and asians to accept western control. the following table summarizes the

causes of the new imperialism:

causes of new imperialism

economic military/political humanitarian/religious technological

need for markets need for military bases white man’s burden new medicine

raw materials national security spread of christianity new weapons

source of investments source of

pride—nationalism

social darwinism

(superiority of western

society)

transportation

i