WALTER RODNEY: How European Imperialized Africa

WALTER RODNEY: HOW EUROPE UNDERDEVELOPED AFRICA.

“EVERY AFRICAN HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM AND WORK TOWARDS ITS OVERTHROW”- W. RODNEY.

From the 1800s-1960s Africa has faced European imperialist aggression, military invasion, diplomatic pressure and eventually conquest and colonization. African counties have shown resistance in any way possible to protect the cultural values, tradition and lands from European invaders but there were no rivals to these colonial powers. The European push to Africa was mainly due to the ban of slave in 1807. They needed another way to exploit Africa to support their economic, social and political growth. So colonization was an alternative way to harvest the abundant recourses present in Africa.

“Those features have a value of their own that cannot be eclipsed by European culture either in the comparable period before 1500 or in the subsequent centuries”(Rodney pg.54). They had their democracy, which fits their background unlike what the Europeans forced upon them. For example they had Igbo and Oyo democracies in Nigeria, the Kikuyu in Kenya, Buganda in Uganda and so on. These kinds of democracies represent their cultural values and traditions. They involve everyone both men and women and also had checks and balances. But Europeans did not understand this concept therefore reducing Africans to multiparty democracy, which they could adapt too up till date. Africa was also not left out in the world of art and crafts prior to the arrival of Europeans. The majestic pyramids standing tall in the plains of Giza Egypt still remain a groundbreaking work of science and technology up till date so as the similar ones found in Ethiopia, Nubia, and Sudan. Likewise the alluring artistry of Benin bronze and terracotta and also the vast paintings and sculptures found in the marvelous continent of