It’s not obvious that colonialism was ever profitable other than as means of grabbing natural resources (especially arable land) in conquered countries.
Colonialism was profitable to the colonists if they could get someone else to pay for the soldiers. But if the army was squeamish, it would have been such a drain on the mother country, it wouldn’t have stood for it.
“Convert to your ideology” is the key here, I think… It’s damn hard to wipe out a religion, especially those, such as some variants of Christianity and Islam, that push “your religion is the only thing that matters” up to 11. If all you care about is taking their money, I suppose you could emulate what the Mongols did in Russia and let the locals mostly govern themselves as long as they pay you your tribute.
it takes a generation and a half to pacify a country and convert it to your ideology by force.
then how did colonialism work?
While I would dispute that it necessarily takes a generation and a half to pacify all countries, it has become easier to organize and carry out insurrection in this technological era, with mobile phones and high explosives.
it takes a generation and a half to pacify a country and convert it to your ideology by force.
then how did colonialism work? it worked because the new war isn’t the same as the old war. see: war in the era of squeamishness by the war nerd.
It’s not obvious that colonialism was ever profitable other than as means of grabbing natural resources (especially arable land) in conquered countries.
Colonialism was profitable to the colonists if they could get someone else to pay for the soldiers. But if the army was squeamish, it would have been such a drain on the mother country, it wouldn’t have stood for it.
“Convert to your ideology” is the key here, I think… It’s damn hard to wipe out a religion, especially those, such as some variants of Christianity and Islam, that push “your religion is the only thing that matters” up to 11. If all you care about is taking their money, I suppose you could emulate what the Mongols did in Russia and let the locals mostly govern themselves as long as they pay you your tribute.
While I would dispute that it necessarily takes a generation and a half to pacify all countries, it has become easier to organize and carry out insurrection in this technological era, with mobile phones and high explosives.