A World of Possibility

The pressures of a surging imperialism supported by nationalism, pushed Europe to compete for land mass in a world-wide game of RISK. Viewpoints of the time gave the people the indifference to see these lands as mere acquisitions, the political, economical, and human aspects of the issue an afterthought in the face of competition with fellow countries. Like children bickering over who has the bigger pile of rocks, they accumulated the world because of an insatiable need to outdo each other. For this reason, the political geography of the globe became increasingly important to the people of France, Germany, and England (the biggest land collectors). Even without the positive effects of colonization, useless land masses were seen as desirable acquisitions because the people needed to feel that progress was being made somehow, be it through expansion or economy. Ownership over large territories, seemed to them a sensible way to measure power, even if the people of those territories held no loyalties with or pride in the country that had conquered them.
Cultural geography also played a role in inflating Europeans' views of themselves. Though they came into contact with many populous and powerful cultures, difference in religious view allowed Europeans to argue a superiority to these other peoples. Differences too in race and geography were used as further evidence of this belief. In all, geography was what permit Europeans to see themselves as the rightful powers of the world, and have the duty to educate (suppress) the rest of the peoples of earth.