Who started imperialism?

Answer 1

The answer as to who started imperialism is a fine question.

As time goes by, new words are often made for the same actions.

In the case of imperialism that's true too. Imperialism is gaining a sphere of influence over an other country. It also involves creating a colony in a less developed nation.

So, we pick a point in time. The empire that ancient Rome carved out. Rome created provinces in areas they conquered. For example, Egypt was eventually made a province. The details of whether Augustus ran it as his own or whether the Senate ran Egypt as a Roman colony or province is not the issue.

In the situation of spheres of influence, Rome placed client kings in nations that it wished to control by proxy. A client king ran the day to day operations of a Judea for example.

With the understanding that Rome ruled much of the "western" or "known" or even the Mediterranean world for at least 500 years, details here matter not.

Fast forward to 1600 AD CE and the Netherlands takes control of what is now called Manhattan. It's an "outpost" on land belonging to another people. used for the purpose of fur trading. (yes technically Manhattan was purchased ) The point here and along with other Western European powers, was that control was exerted over another people (s ) and it was called imperialism.

The bottom line here is that no particular nation or group of people can be designated as the "starters" of imperialism.