Britannica Sources used in this answer

Why did Germany and Italy seek colonies after their national unifications?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Map of North America in 1763 using color coding to show colonial territories: the 13 American colonies in red along the Atlantic coast, other British territory in orange across much of present-day Canada, Spanish territory in purple covering most of the southern and western regions, Russian territory in green in the northwest, and large areas of unclaimed land in white. Major bodies of water such as the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Hudson Bay are labeled. — Western colonialism North America during the colonial period.

Following their national unifications, Germany and Italy sought colonies as part of a broader "new imperialism" characterized by intense competition among nations to secure territory before it was fully claimed by established powers.1

For Germany, colonial expansion served as an emotional outlet for a growing sense of national power, though it was not a significant factor in the nation's economic life. Chancellor Otto von Bismarck initially opposed overseas expansion to avoid conflict with Great Britain and France, but he eventually pursued it to satisfy domestic national sentiment and as a diplomatic tool to potentially provoke or leverage relations with other European powers.2

For Italy, the motivations were multifaceted:
* Political Status: Northern politicians and elites sought to establish Italy as a great power on the international stage.3
* Social and Economic Needs: Southern politicians viewed colonial expansion as a necessary outlet for surplus population and agricultural produce.3
* Military Strategy: The military was seen as an essential guarantor of public order, and colonial ventures were supported by high levels of military spending.3

Ultimately, the emergence of these new colonial powers accelerated the pace of global territorial acquisition, as nations raced to remedy disparities in the size of their empires.1