What does neocolonialism mean?
Neocolonialism is the continued exercise of domination by a powerful state, corporation, or other foreign interest over another country or people, especially where formal colonial rule has already ended. It can involve economic control, political influence, military or diplomatic pressure, and the cultural dominance of one society's values or media over another. The term is frequently used in political and academic writing to describe relationships that preserve colonial patterns of dependence after the legal institutions of empire have disappeared. It differs from ordinary colonialism because it generally concerns domination after the conventional colonial period, and from postcolonialism, which is chiefly a field of study rather than a system of control. Although neocolonialism is a modern term, many of the practices it describes have long histories in trade, resource extraction, and unequal international relations.
nounThe continued exercise of political, economic, or cultural domination by a powerful state or its interests over another territory or people, especially after formal colonial rule has ended.
- The continued or renewed political, economic, or cultural domination of one country, territory, or people by another power or its interests, especially after formal colonial rule has ended.
"Critics accused the company of exercising economic neocolonialism over the region."
"The speech described foreign investment in the country as a form of economic neocolonialism."
"Writers have examined how language and media can perpetuate cultural neocolonialism."
Rare; the word is normally used in the singular or as an uncountable noun.
"The study compared several historically different forms of neocolonialism."
Neocolonialism can exercise imperial power without an empire's flag.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does neocolonialism come from?
Neocolonialism combines the combining form neo-, derived from Greek neos, meaning “new,” with colonialism. Colonialism itself comes from colonial, which ultimately derives from Latin colonialis, from colonia, a settlement or colony associated with Latin colere, meaning “to till” or “inhabit.” The compound neocolonialism developed during the 20th century to describe forms of domination that continued after the decline of formal colonial empires.
Related word forms
How neocolonialism is actually used
The term is most common in academic, political, and historical discussion and is generally critical in tone. It is usually used uncountably, though countable uses referring to distinct systems or examples are possible.
Easily confused with neocolonialism
Colonialism denotes the historical practice of establishing or maintaining political and economic control over overseas territories, whereas neocolonialism usually refers to indirect or renewed domination after formal colonialism has ended.
Postcolonialism is primarily an academic field studying colonialism and its aftermath, while neocolonialism names a continuing system of domination.