The rise of middle class democracy in both England and France was sponsored by the growing concern for nationalism. Although both nations were basic parliamentary democracies, Britain had been the model for parliamentary government for centuries. Only in the latter half of the 19th century did the "head of state" or monarch begin to loose it's influence. Industrialization had profound effects since the large landowners no longer controlled Parliament. The government was formed by the party which won the most seats through election to the House of Commons (Howarth). At the start of the 20th Century, the House was dominated by two distinctive parties: the Liberals

Imperialism became much of a game to the Europeans in the late 19th century. The fight for colonies was tough, and being just a little late could leave an imperialistic nation slim pickings. Lucky for them, France and Britain began taking colonies very early in the game. Britain took much of south and eastern Africa while France took the north and west. At one point, "the sun never set upon the British Empire." India was another holding that became excessively prosperous to the British. However, problems formed in both empires. Growing passions of nationalism within the colonies prompted them to the verge of revolution as greatly encouraged sentiments of racial superiority on the Europeans' part heightened. The oppressed were becoming smarter and demanded to be treated like a true member of the domineering empire. Britain established self-governing dominions in Canada and Australia where the whites outnumbered the natives. Problems still occurred in South Africa when Britain tried to establish a white majority government. The French offered complete assimilation and didn't extend a great color line as did the British (Hughes). They offered their conquered people's a chance to become "equal." Chosen people would receive a full French education and essentially become French in speech and sentiment. Here, nationalism changed from sentiment toward birth nation to that of the domineering nation. Imperialism began to emit a type of double standard where the aggressive nation dictated manhood suffrage and democracy at home but offered a completely different and hypocritical approach to it's colonies. Underneath the quest for colonies spurned militarism. The military ethic of conquering went against the virtues of nationality. Through racial superiority as the

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Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)