Answer:
Nations wanted to obtain raw materials and secure new markets.
Explanation:
Imperialism is a relationship between countries (generally in the form of an empire) - which is based on ideas of superiority and applying practices of domination, which imply the extension of authority and control of one State or people over another. It can also be a political doctrine that justifies the domination of one people or State over others; usually through different types of colonization (population, economic exploitation, strategic military presence) or by cultural subordination (acculturation). There are two main subtypes of imperialism: the first is the "regressive imperialism" identified with the pure conquest, the unequivocal exploitation, the extermination or reductions of unwanted peoples, and the settlement of the desired peoples in those territories. The second type is "progressive imperialism" that is based on a cosmopolitan vision of humanity, which promotes the expansion of civilization to societies supposedly backward to raise standards of life and culture in the conquered territories, and the assignment of conquered people to assimilate into imperial society. Although the terms "imperialism" and "colonialism" are closely related, they are not synonyms.
More specifically, the expression Era of Imperialism, used by historiography, calls the period from 1871 to 1914, in which there was a real race to build colonial empires, mainly with the so-called cast of Africa.
The crisis of 1873 led to the decline in prices, products of each country prohibiting the entry of foreign items or taxing them. This resulted in the need to find new markets that were not controlled by that system. On the other hand, European capitalist powers such as England, the Netherlands and France needed to give way to their surplus of capital and they did so by investing it in countries of other continents establishing loans, implementing railroads, installing ports, etc. Also, these countries needed to look for raw materials for their industries, as they began to run out or become scarce in Europe. The Second Industrial Revolution, on the other hand, needed new raw materials that Europe did not have or was scarce of, such as silver, oil, rubber, gold, copper, etc. The economic causes were the result of the expansion of industrial capital and were forced to look for new territories where they could invest the excess accumulated capital, these capitals found a productive exit in the form of credits granted to the minority of the natives.
