"Between the 15th and 20th centuries, just 10 European countries colonized nearly the whole world. Colonization brought technological advancement, infrastructure, education, and medical care even to the most distant places. Unfortunately, along with that came the massive theft of natural resources, death by unintentionally introduced diseases or deliberate genocidal practices, and a lasting legacy of economic inequality and resentment. But what if that had never happened? What would the world be like today if Europeans had just . . . stayed home?"
"10 European countries seized control of most of the world: Portugal, Spain, France, Britain, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Italy, and Russia. Some of them also held other parts of Europe under their control at various times. Only a handful of European countries were never conquered by one of the other 10, including Norway, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Switzerland. In Africa, only Ethiopia and Liberia remained independent."
Between the 15th and 20th centuries, ten European powers conquered most of the globe, exporting technology, infrastructure, education, and medical care to colonies. Colonization also involved massive extraction of natural resources, introduction of diseases, genocidal actions, and persistent economic inequality and resentment. A hypothetical world without European expansion could have seen non-Western empires colonize instead, producing greater cultural diversity and environmental sustainability but lower overall technology and standards of living. A few countries avoided colonization, including Ethiopia, Liberia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan, and Japan, while China largely remained independent despite ceding some ports.
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