A Deterritorialized History: Investigating German Colonialism ...

stimuli. 21 Wehler’s contention specifically works against the centre-periphery
interpretations of Gallagher, Robinson, and Fieldhouse as well as the Marxist argument
for the primacy of commercial expansion. Yet even within social imperialism,
Mommsen argues for some reconsideration of the role of external forces. 22 The social
imperialism argument also contests Thaddeus Sunseri’s belief that historians have
traditionally ignored the linkages between German colonial policies and German society
as a whole. 23 For this reason, discussion of Germany’s colonies needs to address the
quantity and quality of support for colonial expansion in the German populace.
The domestic argument is significant, for despite their relatively miniscule
economic contribution, the four African colonies were quite important to Germany
because of their effect upon national pride. This is a major facet of social imperialism;
the colonies were supposed to galvanize the population, consequently bringing Germany
together. Linking the leftist and social imperialism interpretations, Hans-Christoph
Schröder connects colonialism intrinsically with supra-nationalism and social relations. 24
This inquiry will consider contemporary society because the propaganda efforts of the
government and the various social organizations propounding colonial expansion had an
important effect upon the German public. Looking at society in this manner renders a
vision of colonialism from a bottom-up perspective and allows a realistic portrayal of the
role of popular sentiment in colonial expansion.
All of these different explanations of German colonial expansion may appear
complex but they are further complicated by Landes’ suggestion that many colonial
acquisitions may have been the result of a fait accompli or unforeseen circumstances. 25 It
is also possible that German colonial expansion was established by one motive and
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