Colonial System of Imperialism

a worldwide system of national and colonial oppression of the huge majority of the earth’s population by the imperialist powers; an integral part of all relations of monopolistic capitalism.

The colonial system was formed when capitalism was passing into the imperialist stage (last third of the 19th century and start of the 20th) and monopolistic capitalism was developing. The onset of the general crisis of capitalism brought with it the crisis of the colonial system. The colonial system of imperialism disintegrated after World War II. Under these conditions, imperialism began to resort to various forms of neocolonialism in order to exploit and enslave the countries that had liberated themselves from colonial dependence.