be the main cause of decolonization. However, others believed that Europe withdrew from the colonies out their own interests. European leaders were occupied with domestic economics and realized the profitable trade was with countries inside the continent. As a result the economic interests of Europe and its colonies diverged, which caused European countries to pull out. They thought direct control was no longer needed, but sustaining trading ties was still important. I believe the colonial factors are more convincing because Europe’s reasoning for decolonization sounds as if they were trying to avoid the embarrassment of getting forced out by the colonies (class notes). The overall impact of European civilization had more negative affects on the world than positive. I believe that it made countries greedy for more power and promoted non-western people to be racially inferior. It also caused rivalries between European countries, which lead to unneeded conflict. The only positive aspect I see coming out of imperialism was that it introduced the world to improved technology. However, there is no doubt that European imperialism had an immense influence on the world for five centuries. It proved to be one of the greatest historical events in Western society. ...
