Empire expanded through infrastructure that bundled transport with information distribution.

Evidence

The effect of the railroad on the expansion of empire stemmed from its role not just as transportation technology but also as a means of economic development, state building, and information distribution. — Nick Couldry & Ulises A. Mejias, The Costs of Connection, 318

Categorization

• DEFINE: Frames what counts as ‘colonial infrastructure’ — not mere transport but an integrated economic-state-information bundle, useful for scoping data colonialism.
• XREF: connects to: The railroad enhanced colonial governance by extending tax collection and information flows. — Nick Couldry & Ulises A. Mejias, The Costs of Connection: How Data Is…, 318; The Persian Empire had advanced transport and communication systems. — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 443; Instant communication technology transformed colonial rule into imperial control. — James W. Carey, Communication as Culture- Essays on…, 808 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Communication infrastructure concentrated imperial military power at the battlefront #expands (0.85) — Timothy Mitchell, Colonising Egypt, 414
• The Persian Empire had advanced transport and communication systems. #expands (0.82) — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 443
• Instant communication technology transformed colonial rule into imperial control. #expands (0.80) — James W. Carey, Communication as Culture- Essays on…, 808