Alternative Arguments presented:
The reasons for Africa’s poor economic growth cannot solely be explained by colonialism. Several academic articles and scholars have gone further to attribute the slow economic development to African countries internal policies such as internal factors of bad leadership and corruption. Furthermore, in the paper by Juluis Agbor and colleagues it was put forward that effect of colonialism on an African state depended on the type of colonialism implemented within the African state (Agbor and Fedderke 2010).
• Did Africans contribute to the destruction of Africa?
There are opposing stances on colonialisms role in the economic development of Africa. However, it cannot be said that colonialism can be the sole reason
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Authoritarian rule and tense election processes have become a key feature of African political landscape, as leaders are willing to remain or accede to power through the force of the military and the circumvention of the rule of law. This affects the economic development of African states as government and the presidents are more concerned with remaining in power than key issues of governance, national economic development plans, improving state institutions and service delivery (Ojo …show more content…
The lag in the African continents economic development has been attributed to the remnants of Colonialism effects directly or indirectly. An example is the disposition for African economies to be reliant on a single commodity, which makes their economies susceptible to the conditions of the global market. Also, the legacies of colonialism are manifested today in the poorly developed cross country connection and trade relations between African states. The poor cross country connections are because the infrastructure created was directed towards coastal areas and ports not the interior or other African countries. This lack of infrastructure or the concentration of infrastructure has led to certain cities or area’s in African states become over-populated whilst the rest of the country remains rural and backward (hartzenberg 2011). The concentration of infrastructure has led to a barrier for intra-African trade and increases the transactions costs of trade for African countries between each other (Ojo 2015). The poor trade relations between African states stems from colonialism where colonialism African countries
The main reason the Europeans imperialized Africa were their cultural and social beliefs in ethnocentrism. They believed “[the natives] needed European help, reform, or civilization” (Document K). The Europeans considered the Africans savages
Europe’s colonisation had major influences upon Africa’s development as a society. The book “Guns, Germs and Steel” written by American Ecologist, Jared Diamond, claims that Africa developed independently and with little major influence from Europe and its people. Moreover, Africa was colonized because of the natural landscape rather then the social and cultural influence from Europe. Controversially, historian Gene Callahan, opposes and describes Africa was developed based was off their own tradition and knowledge rather than through the influence of Europe. Jared Diamond has a valuable perspective on how Europe possibly impacted Africa’s development as a society.
So the way European nations earned their money was from selling their resources they had from their land, they would force the Africans to work long hours and were not paid at all. In a document by Trevor Owen Lloyd, “The British Empire” states that Great Britain exported 4.6 million pounds from Africa. European nations would
Based on the documents provided, it can be argued that the Europeans were unwelcome and sparked a great disturbance among the African people during new imperialism period all across Africa based on the following perspectives from documents 4 and 9 which demonstrate brutal violence towards Africans, documents 6 and 7 which call for help to remove the presence of the Europeans, and documents 2 and 3 represent how these Africans state wish to avoid being under European power. Throughout the history of European colonization, there is evidence that the Europeans have disrupted and separated majority of the African continent. Based on the documents provided, each document individually states their own problems with the European occupying African
Africa In World Politics: Engaging a Changing Global Order by John Harbenson and Donald Rothchild gives an analysis of how Africa has changed from being a European ruled colonial nation to a nation that it creating a name for itself in the global sphere. Beginning with Africa’s politics during the colonial era through the present. The book provides not only details about Africa but also how the changing world has affected African politics. The main focus of this book is to show the growth Africa has had since its time of colonization. Africa has grown as the world has changed although it has had to deal with internal conflicts and demands for political change due to its authoritarian regimes.
The industrial revolution propelled African imperialism to a level the world had never seen before. During the late 19th century, borders in Europe became difficult to alter and the only way to expand was in other continents like Africa. Europe exposed Africa’s weakness and preyed on them, leaving the continent in disarray. The industrial revolution induced African imperialism for economic prosperity, the rise in cultural and social power, and political motives. Economic prosperity had a major impact on the advancement of African imperialism.
“Imperialism is a policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force” Dictionary Definition of Imperialism. In 1750 - 1900, European countries wanted to build empires all over the world; they wanted to provide materials for industrialization. Even though European countries, like France, Great Britain and Portugal, had very few establishments in Africa, they were constantly trading with them. Later, as Europeans tried conquer African land, native people became frustrated and upset; in response to imperialism. As Europeans states industrialized, they wanted to expand overseas and establish colonies in Africa.
Great Britain and South Saharan Africa imports and exports document E shows that the African colony wasn 't the best with money instead they would trade which is the main reason the Europeans took over. Imports from Africa were less while exports rose high. Great Britain made up to three million British pounds in 1854 and twenty-one in 1900 from import and export. African slaves were additionally being used to work British owned plantations in the colonies. Over all trading was a link to natural resources.
So Europe invaded Africa, took possession of Africa, and divided Africa into colonies of Europe. The period of invasion, lasting some twenty years, was more or less completed by 1900. There followed a longer period, between sixty and ninety years, of direct European rule, called colonial rule. This was a time of profound upheaval for all of Africa’s peoples. It brought irreversible changes” (4).
According to the overview, “between 1500 and 1800, European nations traded for slaves, gold, and ivory along the west coast of Africa, but they did not go deeply into the continent.” In 1884, fourteen countries met in Berlin to discuss the division of Africa to prevent war from breaking out.. This meeting would come to be known as the Berlin Conference led by Ottoman Bismarck. Up until 1885, they stated that if a leader wanted to control a certain part of Africa, then they must prove that they have control over that area and that was it. This was the beginning of European imperialism in Africa.
In the race of European imperialism, European countries dominated innocent African colonies. The driving force behind this? Africa’s bountiful resources. Before Africa’s colonization, the European presence in Africa was extremely limited, mainly due to lack of exploration and diseases (Background Essay). However, this changed as European prominence became largely influential through the discovery of Africa’s resource rich lands.
"The slave trade actually prevented the coming into being of an agrarian revolution in Ghana, and likewise an industrial revolution. Because before you can industrialize you need to have stable agricultural production.” (“Slavery 's long effects on Africa”, para 6) Since during that time they got attacked to kidnap people and burn places they had nothing to start living. “The period between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries was a time of economic stagnation for Africa, which fell further and further behind the economic progress of Europe as the years passed by.” (“Riches & Misery: The Consequences of the Atlantic Slave Trade”, para 5)
In The Legacy, Basil Davidson discusses the legacies of colonialism in Africa and gives an insight on modern Africa and the successes and downfalls that it possesses. Moreover, he states that many of the issues seen in modern day Africa are not new and have their roots in the long years of European colonialism that profoundly shaped and continues to shape the continent. Throughout the documentary, various themes regarding postcolonial Africa are mentioned in depth. A few of the themes that Davidson highlights are modernization, ethnicism, corruption, inequality, dictatorship, and neocolonialism.
Discourse on colonialism generally results in the different opinions of the colonizer and the colonized. The upshot of such discourse shows that colonialism has divergent interpretations. For the colonizer, it is ‘a civilizing mission’; to the colonized, it is exploitation. Such concept is better understood when both the views are studied with an objective approach. Things Fall Apart is a perfect novel to study colonialism as it deals with the perspectives of the colonizer and the colonized.
Colonialism first occurred during the Roman, Hellenist, Babylonian and Persian empires, but it is more known during the 15th century as “The Age of Discovery,” led by the Portuguese and Spanish. The colonization of the European in Africa, some parts of Asia and Americas is the most significant factor or could be the basis in comprehending the current state of the countries and people. That is why a deliberate study or reading of the European colonialism is essential to understand how much influence it has made not only on the economy and politics of these continents, but also on how the people look at them and themselves currently. I want to concentrate more on the continent of Africa. In the first place, why did the Europeans even become curious