殖民地的目的在於為殖民母國服務。但是殖民地對「遲到」的德國而言，除了經濟、社會等方面的作用外，還有更強烈的心理的作用：沒有殖民地，不是世界強權；不是世界強權，將會面臨存亡的危機。俾斯麥對殖民地的消極態度在先，威廉二世的積極態度在後，反映了德國自統一以來在經濟、社會、心態等方面的重大改變。殖民地的取得，管理和發展，與中央（柏林，外交部，國會）的決策、殖民地管理者（總督和其部屬）的政策以及被殖民者的反應等三項因素有密切的關係，彼此間交互影響，而為時僅三十餘年的德國殖民體制提供了很好的例證。

The purpose of establishing colonies was to serve the interest of the mother nation economically and socially. For a late comer as Germany in the late nineteenth century, colonies also provided the psychological reassurance of their ability in claiming the membership of super powers. It was stated that without establishing colonies, Germany could not be taken as one of the superpowers, and without being considered a superpower, Germany would face a life threatening crisis. While Bismarck was rather conservative in colonization, William II was much more active, which reflected the grave economic, social and psychological changes in Germany since her unification. Germany's colonial institution, which lasted no more than 40 years, provides an excellent example of the three-way interactions involving the imperial policies towards the colonies, the governance of the colonies, and the reaction of the people in the colonies.