Effects of colonialism on the development of Modern African States
Ramat-Gan (2011) advances that the advent of colonialism in Africa formed the basis of the economic underdevelopment that continues to plague the countries in the modern world. The introduction of colonialism is linked to the many problem associated with the atrocities that the colonial masters implicated on the poor civilian natives of the time. Duke (2010) observes that the colonialism in Africa took different phases and faces. While the British used the direct and indirect rule in some areas, the French adopted the assimilation policy. Whichever the method that the colonial masters had, one character trait that they shared was the atrocity with which the administration was ran. Soman (2012) reports that that during the early years of colonialism, the colonial masters forced the poor African peasants away from their fertile farms. The Colonial Godfathers therefore occupied the highlands, which were later to be named the Whiteman territory. These were the rich agriculturally productive lands. The African source of economic livelihood was therefore cut.
The separation of the Africans from their maternal hinterland therefore formed the basis upon which the hard economic regimes of the colonials were founded. Since they were separated and displaced into unfertile lands, the Africans had to look for alternative forms of survival. Osaghae (2006) develops that most of the Africans were forced to work in the white highlands which were taken for large scale farming. This marked the start of plantations and forced labor in Africa. Most of the Africans had not been used to forced labor and therefore resisted. Those who did not comply with the atrocities of the white man had to be punished into the concentration camps. Deng (2007) assert that the concentrations camps, later to be known as reserves grew into underdeveloped regions. In fact some of the remnants of the reserves have developed into slums since the members who were brought there had no right of ownership of land. They were stripped off their land leading to landlessness and utter poverty.
In 1885 at the Berlin conference, the British colonies and the European countries developed an interest of partition of Africa. This was to lead to establishment of colonial rule. Just as Chukwuemeka et al. (2011) assert in his quest of explaining the role of the colonialism to the fall of the economic power of Africa, the white advanced colonialists exploited Africa at the expense of its people. Mizuno and Okazawa (2009) record that most African land, minerals and other vital commodities were exploited and the proceeds exported back into their countries. The productive lands and the other economic materials were shipped into their maternal lands while the hinterland was left unutilized. Steinmetz (2003) expostulates that the white colonialists undertook large scale farming through development of white farms, and utilized the displaced Africans from their farms. This therefore meant that most of the people in the African continent were not allowed to get close into the economic benefaction of their own resources. One can therefore not fail to claim that the current economic and underdevelopment is as a result of the alienation that was adopted by the colonialists.
Ramat-Gan (2011)claims that the colonialism in the parts of East Africa and the Central African Republic undertook a different spectrum with most of the communities undergoing a spirited resistance. Those who did not resist the colonial rule became collaborators, whereupon the colonialists rewarded the tribal chiefs with chiefdoms over the resisting communities. This raised the problem of power struggles that have continued to spark quite a number of ethnic feuds up to the modern day. For instance, the Kikuyu community in Kenya formed the majority at the time of colonial intrude into Kenya. The other major tribes in Kenya such as the Luo and the Kalenjin who had co-existed peacefully in the country continued living in harmony until the white man rewarded some of the communities over the others. This formed hostilities which continue to spark struggle of dominion in the countries, even many years after independence (Ramat-Gan 2011).
Wilson (2002) develops that Africa is underdeveloped due to its lack of an industrial revolution in which she would have depended on its own. Most critics hold that Africa failed to develop a revolution due to the involvement in slavery which enslaved the natives and depopulated the continent of its available resources. The colonialism was therefore to blame for the lack of development. An industrial revolution as the one that had taken place in Europe was responsible for the developmentof the continent into a self-dependent continent. Chukwuemeka et al. (2011) observe that the continent is also full feuds, political instability and power struggles. There are many governments topples and coup de tats that have been reported in the countries of Africa. Deng (2007) argues that the power struggles and the unpredictable fighting have resulted to displacements and antagonism of the efforts of development in the region. For instance, the Rwandan genocide in the country during the 1994 Hutu and Tutsi slaughter has been linked to the effects of colonialism.
During the colonialism of Rwanda, the Belgians undertook a policy of separation Soman (2012).The Hutu who were the minority of the time were given different ID cards and the markings isolated them from their Tutsicounterparts.Therefore then rivalry was long drawn under the colonial powers. Later the toppling and killingof the president by the rebels (citing the separation and segregation policy between the two communities) sparked the worst genocide in Africa. This led to an economic slumber of the country.Poverty has therefore inflicted Africa due to the common and unpredictable political instability.
Abolition of slave trade thrashed the economic reliance of the African continent (Steinmetz 2003).During the colonial period most of the African countries were involved in the capture of slaves from the hinterland where they were then transported into the Americas and Europe. One of the effects that this trade had was the Devastating depopulation of the continent of the able people. Ramat-Gan (2011) argues that the export of slaves from the continent led to a power vacuum and inequality which led to vulnerability of the continent. Those who were left behind were unable to take care of themselves as most of them were the weaklings and the old. Most parts of the continent therefore had fallen prey to the economic exploitation that was advanced by the colonialists through hard labor and slavery.
Another factor that was responsible for the underdevelopment of Africa was the introduction of different and divergent political ideologies in the country. Many colonial masters embarked on different political ideologies which led to different developmental challenges. For instance, Ramat-Gan (2011) points out that the introduction of socialism widely known as “ujamaa villages” was responsible for the underdevelopment of most parts of the country. Ujamaa villages meant that the development of the country was pegged on a wholesome community where members developed at the same pace. This was later to lead Tanzania to lag behind in the development since members who were lazy depended on others leading to an underdevelopment view. This was to lead to the formation of groups who opposed the governance and hence resistance. This led to political instability thus killing the development efforts of the country.
There was also the introduction of different political styles in the ruling of Africa. This was contrary to the established kingdoms and chiefdoms of the continent. The stratification and division of Africa into different states interfered with the moral fabrics of the society. Thais would have formed the foundation of good leadership and hence a well co-ordinated development in the continent. However the division led to individualism and cronyism in the development of the continent. Those that were rewarded for their cooperation with the colonialist’s amassed wealth at the expense of the development the continent. The effects are still felt up to today.
However there was also another problem that affected Africa after the closure and abolition of slave trade was the fact that its sole economic underpinning was thrashed. This therefore meant that most of the continent would no longer depend on the slavery and the economics of the trade. Therefore its economic dependence was cut short meaning the problem of poverty and economic struggle were to start from here. Chukwuemeka et al. (2011) note that the problem of most parts of Africa after the relinquishing of the slave trade relied was exacerbated by the displacement from their lands. Most of the p[people who had carried out trade therefore resolved to crime or formed political groupings and gangs which continued to offset the political stability of the country. This is the case that continues to plague countries such as Congo. Those who could not find a place to fit resolved to go to the streets where they lived in informal structures and townships leading to massive populations in slums. This formed the larger poor population in the continent leading to major economic and social antagonism.
Lack of capital is also associated with the problems that continue to affect the countries of Africa. During the colonial period most of the African resources and products were exported to Europe and the Americas for processing and packaging. The proceeds from the continent were used for the proliferation of the development of Europe at the expense of the African continent. Therefore as Deng (2007) notes, by the time most parts of Africa got independence, he continent had been fully utilized and exploited leading to scant y resources. The resources in the continent are therefore found to be inadequate for full scale self-dependency. This has forced Africa to borrow foreign aid from the former colonial master at exorbitant rates. Steinmetz (2003) observes that the rates at which the financial aids are given to the members in the country have continued to drain the continent of its resources thus leading to neo-colonialism.
Neocolonialism has been found to affect most countries in the continent due to the aid that they continue to receive from their foreign counterparts. Poverty and disease have also been indicated to be some of the reasons behind the development of Africa. Wilson (2002) notes that during the intrusion and colonialism of Africa, most communities were denied education. In Kenya the population was only allowed to be taught elementary level which included numeracy skills and manual work (Deng 2007).This was later to spark the resistance from the African members who demanded better education to their children. This effect affected most parts of Africa as most communities and countries still lag behind in development of technocrats and experts who can take the continent to greater economic levels. Therefore the colonialist role in the denial of education to members of therefore communities had a negative impact in the advancement of the skills required for economic stimulus. Mizuno and Okazawa (2009) argue that this derived Africa the pride of being one of the economic powerhouses as the members did not learn how to manage the resources for economic empowerment. This also led to the dysfunctional leadership as most of the early leaders and presidents in Africa had no good education therefore adopted wrong policies which continue to grow under bad governance and leaderships.
In conclusion, colonialism in Africa is one of the major factors that continue to affect the modern African state. The exposition developed in this essay has developed a bias into the role that the colonial macabre and policies had on the overall development of Africa. Most of the atrocity that was used by the colonialists in the African continent continues to affect it as it has not yet fully regained from the effects. Division of Africa into smaller states and the exploitation adopted by the members is seen is responsible for the continued reliance and poor economic leaderships. Therefore the argument that the imperial colonies left a bad legacy that continues to manifest and haunt Africa holds.
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