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Look up expansionism in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

In general, expansionism consists of expansionist policies of governments and states. While some have linked the term to promoting economic growth (in contrast to no growth / sustainable policies), more commonly expansionism refers to the doctrine of a nation's expanding its territorial base (or economic influence) usually by means of military aggression. Compare empire-building and Lebensraum.

Irredentism, revanchism or reunification are sometimes used to justify and legitimize expansionism, but only when the explicit goal is to reconquer territories that have been lost, or to take over ancestral lands. A simple territorial dispute, such as a border dispute, is not usually referred to as expansionism.

[edit] See also

• List of Irredentist states
• List of examples of expansionism
• Manifest Destiny
• Roosevelt Corollary
• Lebensraum
• Historical powers

[edit] External links

• "Expansionism / Imperialism" from Project Worldview