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Notes A
Topic 1 - PRE COLONIAL AFRICAN SOCIETIES
Topic 2 - AFRICA AND EUROPE IN THE 15TH CENTURY
Topic 3 - THE PEOPLE OF AFRICAN ORIGIN IN THE NEW WORLD
Topic 4 - FROM COLONIALISM TO THE FIRST WORLD WAR (1880'S-1914)
Topic 5 - COLONIAL ECONOMY AND SOCIAL SERVICES AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR
Topic 6 - INFLUENCE OF EXTERNAL FORCES AND THE RISE OF NATIONALISM AND THE STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE
Topic 7 - POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN TANZANIA SINCE INDEPENDENCE
1. PRE-COLONIAL AFRICAN SOCIETIES
2. AFRICA AND EUROPE IN THE 15TH CENTURY
3. PEOPLE OF AFRICAN ORIGIN INTHE NEW WORLD
4. THE COLONIAL STATE AND AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS UP TO 1914
5. CHANGES IN THE COLONIAL ECONOMY AND SOCIAL SERVICES AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR
6. NATIONALISM AND DECOLONISATION IN AFRICA
7. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN TANZANIA AFTER INDEPENDENCE
THE IMPACT OF COLONIALISM IN
AFRICA
These are some impacts or effects
of Colonialism in African Continent:
1. European colonial powers did not
plan to industrialize or modernize Africa. Africans
were used to solely produce raw materials, export them to Europe, and then re
-export them Africa as final products, sold at high prices. Africans could not
afford to pay for these products. There were several negatives of colonialism
for the Africans like resource depletion, labor exploitation, unfair taxation,
lack of industrialization, dependence on cash crop economy, prohibition of
trade, the breaking up of traditional African society and values, lack of
political development, and ethnic rivals inside countries.
2. Poor technological base of most of the present day African states, which has been
responsible for their underdevelopment stems from their poor foundation of
education laid by the colonialists. Colonial education essentially aimed at
training clerks, interpreters, produce inspectors, artisans, etc., which would
help them in the exploitation of the Africa’s rich resources. Colonial
education did not aim at industrialization of African territories or at
stimulating technological development within the African environment. Colonial
education brought about distortion and disarticulation in African indigenous
pattern of education which was rooted in African technology. Before fully
embracing colonial education, Africans were good technologists, advancing at
their own rates with the resources within their environment.
For example, Africans were good
sculptors, carvers, cloth weavers, miners, blacksmiths, etc. They were able to
provide and satisfy the technological need of the various African societies.
The introduction of colonial education made Africans to abandon their
indigenous technological skills and education in preference to one which mainly
emphasizes reading and writing. This was the prelude or foundation for the
present poor technological base of African states which has perpetuated their
underdevelopment. As we know, education that is not deeply rooted in a people’s
culture and environment cannot bring about any meaningful technological
advancement. This has aptly been shown in the unsuccessful attempt at the
so-called technological transfer, which is more of a myth than reality.
3. The economic structure of African
society was changed by Europeans. Cash crops were introduced to meet
industrial needs of European countries. Cocoa, coffee, tea, and cotton were the
main cash crops produced on a large scale. Several minerals were mined
extensively. The problem with this was cash crops were focused on instead of
food for basic needs, leading to famine among many Africans. Europeans changed
the economy from a model of producing foods for need to mainly the production
of cash crops. All crops produced by Africans were exported and prices were set
by the colonies. Africans were not allowed to grow these cash crops to benefit
themselves. Trade was prohibited between Africans, so they were forced to
export all cash crops produced and minerals mined.
4. Disarticulation in the type of goods produced by
Africans. The colonialists compelled Africans to
concentrate in the production of goods meant for export. Africans were not
encouraged to produce those goods required by the local population. This made
many Africans to abandon the production of food items required to feed the
teeming and growing population. The effect of this was food shortage and
escalation in food prices. The present day situation where Africans now import
their food is a carry-over from colonialism. The point being stressed here is
that colonialism distorted the satisfaction of local needs in terms of food
production and other requirements in preference to production and satisfaction
of foreign needs especially the industries.
FACTORS FOR
NATIONALISM IN AFRICA
1. Colonial Oppression
As was pointed out in the last chapter,
colonization was mostly a negative, exploitative, and oppressive experience.
Africans have bad memories of that experience, even though some may appear to
have benefited materially. They were humiliated, their culture denigrated and
distorted, and their land confiscated. European immigrants, who were encouraged
to come to Africa as pioneer farmers and given large tracts of land to farm,
forced Africans to provide cheap labour, which resulted in severe consequences
for African communities. Large plantations were established for growing cash
crops. How could anyone not expect Africans to resent this after a while? In
fact, at the very beginning of colonial occupation, the African resistance took
the form of armed revolt.
2. Emergence of Bourgeois group
This was the group created by the
colonial system. It includes the civil servant i.e. teachers, wealth people,
traders, businessmen and commercial farmers. This group aimed at taking over
the colonial state in their own ambition and descent wealth from foreigners to
indigenous hand. Generally, the group was reformist rather than revolutionist
as they adopted for superficial changes and not a complete and fundamental
changes.
3. Political Fatigue in Europe
Political fatigue in Europe in the
aftermath of World War II contributed to the rise of nationalism in Africa.
Internal opposition to British imperialism increased due to the losses suffered
by the European powers during the war. The Labour Party and the Fabian
Society urged the British government to take steps to grant independence
to the colonies. The high human and economic costs that Britain, France and
other colonial powers suffered in the Second World War made them more willing
to consider getting rid of the burden of governing overseas colonial
territories. The apparent loss of motivation to continue spending their energy
and resources on external territories quickened the pace of the decolonization
of Africa.
4. The role of Independent African
Church movement
These were the churches formed by Africans to challenge European church leaders. The movement was not merely, but also addresses economic, social and political discontent such as land alienation, forced labour, taxation, involvement of Africans in European wars and colonial discriminatory policies. The movement laid the foundation.
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