1. Economic motivations: Europeans sought new markets and resources to fuel industrialization, pursuing raw materials like rubber, minerals, and crops from Africa and Asia.
2. Nationalism and prestige: European nations competed for colonial possessions to demonstrate their power and national pride on the global stage.
3. Perceptions of racial and cultural superiority: Europeans viewed non-Western peoples as primitive or uncivilized and believed it was their duty to modernize and rule over these regions for their own benefit.