Imperialism Colonialism is an important concept to address because it has had such a major impact on the modern world. It is often responsible for the movement of peoples throughout the world and is often a factor in the rate of development of nations. In their acquisition of Asian colonies, the European imperialists were driven by several motives. They wanted new sources of raw materials and precious metals, and (later) new markets; but they also claimed that they were assuming responsibility for bringing Christian salvation to the heathen. There was, moreover, a prestige to be gained from the possession of