Editing Imperialism (section)

=== Spain ===
[[File:Spanish Empire Anachronous en.svg|thumb|upright=1.5|The areas of the world that at one time were territories of the Spanish Empire]]
{{Main|Spanish Empire}}
Spanish imperialism in the colonial era corresponds with the rise and decline of the [[Spanish Empire]], conventionally recognized as emerging in 1402 with the conquest of the Canary Islands. Following the successes of exploratory maritime voyages conducted during the [[Age of Discovery]], Spain committed considerable financial and military resources towards developing a robust navy capable of conducting large-scale, transatlantic expeditionary operations in order to establish and solidify a firm imperial presence across large portions of North America, South America, and the geographic regions comprising the [[Caribbean basin]]. Concomitant with Spanish endorsement and sponsorship of transatlantic expeditionary voyages was the deployment of ''[[Conquistador]]s'', which further expanded Spanish imperial boundaries through the acquisition and development of territories and colonies.<ref>Roger Bigelow Merriman, ''The Rise of the Spanish Empire in the Old World and in the New'' (4 vol 1918–1933) [https://archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%28Merriman%2C%20Roger%20Bigelow.%20%29%20empire online].</ref>

==== Imperialism in the Caribbean basin ====
[[File:Spanish Caribbean Islands in the American Viceroyalties 1600.png|thumb|Spanish colonies and territories in the Caribbean basin (c. 1490 – c. 1660)]]
In congruence with the colonialist activities of competing European imperial powers throughout the 15th – 19th centuries, the Spanish were equally engrossed in extending geopolitical power. The Caribbean basin functioned as a key geographic focal point for advancing Spanish imperialism. Similar to the strategic prioritization Spain placed towards achieving victory in the conquests of the [[Aztec Empire]] and [[Inca Empire]], Spain placed equal strategic emphasis on expanding the nation's imperial footprint within the Caribbean basin.

Echoing the prevailing ideological perspectives regarding colonialism and imperialism embraced by Spain's European rivals during the colonial era, including the English, French, and the Dutch, the Spanish used colonialism as a means of expanding imperial geopolitical borders and securing the defense of maritime trade routes in the Caribbean basin.

While leveraging colonialism in the same geographic operating theater as its imperial rivals, Spain maintained distinct imperial objectives and instituted a unique form of colonialism in support of its imperial agenda. Spain placed significant strategic emphasis on the acquisition, extraction, and exportation of precious metals (primarily gold and silver). A second objective was the evangelization of subjugated indigenous populations residing in mineral-rich and strategically favorable locations. Notable examples of these indigenous groups include the [[Taíno|Taίno]] populations inhabiting Puerto Rico and segments of Cuba. Compulsory labor and slavery were widely institutionalized across Spanish-occupied territories and colonies, with an initial emphasis on directing labor towards mining activity and related methods of procuring semi-precious metals. The emergence of the ''[[Encomienda]]'' system during the 16th–17th centuries in occupied colonies within the Caribbean basin reflects a gradual shift in imperial prioritization, increasingly focusing on large-scale production and exportation of agricultural commodities.

==== Scholarly debate and controversy ====
The scope and scale of Spanish participation in imperialism within the Caribbean basin remains a subject of scholarly debate among historians. A fundamental source of contention stems from the inadvertent conflation of theoretical conceptions of imperialism and colonialism. Furthermore, significant variation exists in the definition and interpretation of these terms as expounded by historians, anthropologists, philosophers, and political scientists.

Among historians, there is substantial support in favor of approaching imperialism as a conceptual theory emerging during the 18th–19th centuries, particularly within Britain, propagated by key exponents such as [[Joseph Chamberlain]] and [[Benjamin Disraeli]]. In accordance with this theoretical perspective, the activities of the Spanish in the Caribbean are not components of a preeminent, ideologically driven form of imperialism. Rather, these activities are more accurately classified as representing a form of colonialism.

Further divergence among historians can be attributed to varying theoretical perspectives regarding imperialism that are proposed by emerging academic schools of thought. Noteworthy examples include [[cultural imperialism]], whereby proponents such as John Downing and Annabelle Sreberny-Modammadi define imperialism as "...the conquest and control of one country by a more powerful one."<ref>Downing, John; Ali Mohammadi; Annabelle Sreberny-Mohammadi (1995). ''Questioning the media: a critical introduction'' (2, illustrated ed.). Sage. p. 482. {{ISBN|978-0-8039-7197-4}}.</ref> Cultural imperialism signifies the dimensions of the process that go beyond economic exploitation or military force." Moreover, colonialism is understood as "...the form of imperialism in which the government of the colony is run directly by foreigners."<ref>Downing; Sreberny-Mohammadi (1995). p. 482.</ref>

In spite of diverging perspectives and the absence of a unilateral scholarly consensus regarding imperialism among historians, within the context of Spanish expansion in the Caribbean basin during the colonial era, imperialism can be interpreted as an overarching ideological agenda that is perpetuated through the institution of colonialism. In this context, colonialism functions as an instrument designed to achieve specific imperialist objectives.