From Tranquility to Turmoil: Imperialism in Somalia No force has had a greater impact on modern nations and their cultures than imperialism. Imperialism is a policy of extending a nation's rule over foreign areas by acquiring and maintaining colonies. During the nineteenth century in particular, imperialism became a trend among wealthy European nations such as Britain, France, and Italy, as countries competed to obtain resources and expand their empires. In applying these policies, imperial powers distributed numerous effects across the globe. The question is: were the effects of imperialism beneficial or harmful to colonized nations? For the nation of Somalia, it is clear that imperialism was nothing more than a perversion of justice, as especially demonstrated by the bloody post-independence history when compared to the peace that existed before imperialism. British and Italian imperial policies have proven destructive to the nation of Somalia, as demonstrated by the current lack of governmental stability, lack of economic prosperity, and growing ethnic conflict. Government stability is a key component of the evidence that imperialism has been harmful to Somalia. Before imperialism, Somalia operated as an Arab sultanate. Society was divided into clans, each ruled by a sultan. The government was not unified under a single body, but it was functional and there was no history of dissatisfaction before imperialism. In 1886, Britain entered into a treaty with the Sultan of Tajura and conquered northern Somalia, while Italy gained control of the southern portion by entering into a treaty with the Sultan of Hobyo (“Basenote” 1). Both British and Italian Somalia, the resulting colonies, were protectorates (“Italian Somalia” 2). The protection... in the center of the card... will be extinguished. So, even from the perspective of ethnic conflict, it is clear that imperialism has taken Somalia from better to worse. Historians will continue, until the end of time, to debate whether imperialism caused more benefit or harm to the world as a whole. In the case of Somalia, however, there is no doubt about the immense damage caused by imperialism. Imperialism has resulted in government instability and corruption, an equally unstable economy unbalanced by imperial rule, and incessant ethnic conflict with Ethiopia and Kenya. Britain and Italy took advantage of a weaker country for their own economic and nationalistic advantages, only to abandon it under the guise of preparing it to be more politically and economically modern, when in reality all they did was derail an innocent nation and leave it alone. to glue his shattered remains together.