imperial disease
"Imperial disease" reflects both literal and metaphorical impacts of colonialism, including health crises and the decline of empires.
🇺🇸 US Voice:
🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
C1Colonial History
(historical)A condition that arises from colonial exploration, causing significant harm to the colonizing empire.
Example
- The British Empire faced several instances of imperial disease during its colonial ventures.
C1Sociology
(metaphorical)The negative psychological and social impacts of colonialism on both the colonizers and the colonized.
Example
- Imperial disease left a lasting impact on the mental health of both colonizers and the indigenous populations.
C1Medicine
(historical)A communicable illness spread to indigenous people by conquering imperial forces.
Example
- Smallpox was an imperial disease that devastated native populations in the Americas.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "imperial disease":