Historical Context: The Anti-Imperialist Movement Explained

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of the Anti-Imperialist Movement, a significant historical phenomenon rooted in opposition to imperialism, particularly the expansionist policies of European powers and the United States. It highlights the movement's origins in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, emphasizing its opposition to European colonialism and American control of the Philippines after the Spanish-American War. The essay discusses key figures like William Jennings Bryan and Mark Twain, and the diverse coalition of individuals across class, race, and political lines that comprised the movement. It explores the arguments against imperialism, including violations of republican ideals and the detrimental impact on democracy. The essay also touches upon the movement's struggle against public opinion and its ultimate defeat, while also mentioning its connection to the Asian perspective of exploitation by the West. The essay concludes by summarizing the key aspects of the Anti-Imperialist Movement and its historical significance.

The Anti-Imperalist Movement

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Summary of the Anti-Imperalist Movement
It can be said that the Anti-Imperialism in the political science along with the international
relations is mainly a term that is used in a lot of contexts, and mostly by the nationalist
movements who want to secede from the larger polity. Throwing light on the above-
mentioned discussion it can be said that not all of the Americans were excited about the
expansion of the nation’s empire. The Anti-Imperalist Movement was mainly administered
by the three permanent officers namely Secretary, President and Treasurer. The Anti-
Imperialists protested the growing interest of the nation with regards to the territories that
were foreign. Furthermore, one of the most important leaders of the movement was William
Jennings Bryan and even he was a contestant for the president on the platform of the anti-
Imperalist in the year 1990 (Armstrong, 2016). The election was however lost by Bryan but
Anti-Imperialism movement was carried forward. It has been also observed that the Anti-
Imperialism movement utilized the citizens across the class, race, political party lines as well
as gender. The anti-imperialism mainly originated in the Europe in the late 19th and the early
20th century for opposing the growing European Colonial empires and the way Philippines
was controlled by the U.S. in the 1898. The segregation was mainly supported by the anti-
imperialists in the addition of the self-determination. It has been argued by these people that
the U.S. must remain within the borders for mixing of the non-white and the white peoples.
As per the anti-imperialists, they stated that it is the duty of the America for protecting the
worldwide democracy.
It has been also observed that there are some of the disturbing similarities that has been found
out between the Jim Crow policies who was racist along with the American colonial and
South oppressions they dictated their lives to the native Puerto, Philippines, Hawaiians and
etcetera. Furthermore, the Anti-Imperalist movement was finally defeated in the public

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opinion battle by some of the new politicians who advocated the American territorial
expansion in a successful manner after the Spanish American War took place. The main idea
of the Anti-Imperalist movement was born in the year 1898. The Anti-Imperalist group
mainly contacted the labor, religious, business along with the humanitarian leaders from
across the globe. One of the main aims of the Anti-Imperalist movement was establishing a
network with regards to the local companies in an effort of expanding and decentralizing the
efforts of the group’s propaganda. On the other hand, one of the basic activities of the Anti-
Imperalist movement was producing the political leaflets that had one of the main motives
that were propagandizing against the activities of the American Imperialists. This is some of
the publications that came into the existence after the 1898. Another important member of
this particular movement was Mark Twain who was also one of the biggest supporters of the
movement by raising his voice properly in some of the areas where it was needed.
The expansion was also opposed by the Anti-Imperialists as they believed in the fact the
Credo of Republics was violated highly by Imperialism. Some of the eminent personalities
such as Henry James, Andrew Carnegie, Mark Twain and William James joined this platform
also. Some of the textbooks of America had even stated that imperialism was one of the
strongest causes of the World War. The Anti-Imperialist Movement was not an activist
company but it was definitely one of the most revolutionary one (Petersson, 2014).
There was dissatisfaction in the Asia with the European Imperialism. Furthermore, there was
also some of the objection regarding the excessive of customs revenues for paying the
consumer debts and the objection regarding the special privileges and rights that were
enjoyed by the Europeans mainly. It can be said that the Imperialism to the Asians simply
meant that they were being exploited by the West for the benefits of some of the people. Leo
Tolstoy supported the Anti-Imperialism in the Asia. Moreover, he also put Russia in the same
movement just like the Asian Countries. It is quite evident that the Anti-Imperialists struggled

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a lot in terms of fighting for something that was valid. On the other hand, The Anti-Imperalist
Movement was mainly administered by the three permanent officers namely Secretary,
President and Treasurer. The Anti-Imperialists protested the growing interest of the nation
with regards to the territories that were foreign.

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References
Armstrong, E. (2016). Before bandung: The anti-imperialist women’s movement in Asia and
the women’s international democratic federation. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture
and Society, 41(2), 305-331.
Petersson, F. (2014). Hub of the anti-imperialist movement: The league against imperialism
and Berlin, 1927–1933. Interventions, 16(1), 49-71.