Origin: Greek suffix -ism
Colonialism has 2 different meanings across 1 category:
exploitation by a stronger country of weaker one; the use of the weaker country's resources to strengthen and enrich the stronger country
"The imperialist powers justified their invasion as spreading civilization, yet it was really just colonialism designed to strip the region of its natural wealth for the metropole's benefit."
The policy of a country seeking to extend or retain its authority over other people or territories, generally with the aim of economic dominance.
"The historian explained that European colonialism was driven by the desire to extract raw materials from Africa and Asia for industrial profit."