Effects
Colonialism has had both good and bad effects on colonies and ruling nations. Rulers did bring some economic development to their colonies by introducing Western agricultural, industrial, and medical techniques. At the same time, however, the colonial powers often exploited (took advantage of) their colonies economically. In many colonies, the ruling powers disrupted and transformed the traditional economic structure. They limited the colonies to producing mainly raw materials and to buying most of their manufactured goods from the ruling countries. In this way, they destroyed the colonies' commercial and manufacturing activities. Although there were advantages for colonies in becoming part of a worldwide economic system, their people lost control over their economic activities. In addition, higher living standards and peace led to big population increases that sometimes kept those standards from improving further--or even lowered them.
Colonial rule brought many people under the political control of European nations. But it also ended local wars in many areas and united those areas under one nation. Ruling powers set up modern educational systems and introduced democratic forms of government. Yet in many cases, the rulers gave the colonial people too little training to prepare them for independence. Many rulers also tried to force their culture on colonial people. Many historians believe that knowledge of Western culture benefited colonial peoples in various ways. However, after gaining independence, many former colonies have had to struggle to redefine their cultural identity.
Colonialism brought wealth and power to the ruling nations. But it also led to nationalist feelings and resistance movements among colonial peoples--and thus helped bring about its own end.
One unexpected result of the end of colonialism has been the migration of many people from former colonies to the countries that once ruled them. Large numbers of Indians, Pakistanis, and West Indians have gone to Britain. Many people from Indonesia and Suriname have moved to the Netherlands. A number of North Africans now live in France. This migration has created ethnic diversity in European nations that once had unmixed populations.