There seems to be a general agreement that the "new imperialism" of the period 1870-1914 was not really profitable (although it was proftitable for some of the firms, it was not so for the colonising countries). Power, strategy and prestige are reasons that have been given for this imperialism. Is it conceivable that the colonising countries might have come to the conclusion that it was not worth the bother to colonise Africa and other areas they colonised in this period. And, maybe the most interesting question, what effect would it have on for instance Sub-Saharan Africa if the it had never been colonised?