Europeans powers had the advantages of strong economies, well organized governments and powerful armies and navies. Africans and Asians strongly resisted western expansion into their lands. Some people fought invaders even though they had to weapons to equal the maximum gun. Eventually, many western educated Africans and Asians organized nationalist movements to expel the imperialists from their land.
The British however, often used a system of indirect rule to govern their colonies. They used sol-tens, chefs or other local rules. They then encouraged the children of the local ruling class to get an education in Britain. That way they grew a new generation of westernized leaders to continue imperial rule.
The leading imperial powers developed several kinds of colonial rule. The french practiced direct rule sending officials and soldiers from France to administer their colonies.
In a protectorate local rulers were left in place but were expected to follow the advice of European advisors on issues such as trade or missionary activity. A protectorate government cost less to run than a colony did and usually did not require a large commitment of military forces. The last form of western control was the sphere of influence. An area in which an outside power claimed exclusive investment or trading privileges Europeans carved out theses spheres in China and elsewhere to prevent conflicts among themselves.