expansionism n : the doctrine of expanding the territory or the economic influence of a country

English

Etymology

From expansion + -ism.

Pronunciation

/ɛkˈspænʃənɪzəm/

Noun

1. The policy, of a nation, of expanding its territory or its economic influence

Related terms

• expansionist

In general, expansionism consists of expansionist policies. While some have linked the term to promoting economic growth (in contrast to no growth / sustainable policies), more commonly expansionism refers to the doctrine of a nation's expanding its territorial base (or economic influence) usually by means of military aggression. Compare empire-building and Lebensraum.

Irredentism, revanchism or reunification are sometimes used to justify and legitimize expansionism, but only when the explicit goal is to reconquer territories that have been lost, or even to take over ancestral lands. A simple territorial dispute, such as a border dispute, is not usually referred to as expansionism.

See also

• List of Irredentist states
• List of examples of expansionism
• Manifest Destiny
• Roosevelt Corollary

External links

• "Expansionism / Imperialism" from Project Worldview