The process of the imperialist conquest of Asia and Africa was accompanied by intense rivalries and conflicts among the European imperialist powers. The competing claims over colonies often created conditions of war.

However, generally, most of these conflicts were resolved in the conference rooms of Europe and wars were avoided. The European powers settled their rival claims over which country would acquire which territory on the basis of quid pro quo, or something for something, by giving away something in exchange for receiving something.

For example, in 1904, after a long period of conflicting claims which had brought them almost to the point of war, Britain and France entered into a secret agreement whereby Britain was given a free hand in Egypt and in exchange Morocco was to be given to France. When Germany came to know about it, she demanded that France relinquish her claim to Morocco. A series of international crises followed, bringing Europe to the brink of war.

The Morocco issue was finally settled in 1911 when France agreed to give a portion of French Congo to Germany and Germany informed France that she could do what she liked in Morocco. In creating these crises and in resolving them, the people of French Congo or Morocco, whose territories were being bargained over, had no say.