Long Term Consequences of Colonizing Africa - Research Paper Example

Colonization has played a major role in the history of the African continent. Except for the country of Liberia, many African countries were occupiedat different times and periods by a number of European countries. These occupations had far reaching effects not only in the political and economical fabric of the different states but also within the social and cultural aspects. The Europeans’ colonization of Africa began in North Africa in the fifteenth century with the Portuguese entry into Morocco. This started a wave of domination by other countries such as Britain, Holland, Spain and France. Italy, Denmark, Belgium, Germany also participated but were some of the minor players when compared with the other countries mentioned. By the end of the nineteenth century almost all the entire continent was under political control of at least one European power. European expansion into Africa was encouraged mostly by the industrialization era in Europe as those countries sought raw materials for new and growing markets. Many historians, however, felt that there were many and varied reasons. “There was the lure of adventure, the search for personal freedom, the sense of mission. There was greed and vanity and lust for power.” 1 The decolonization of Africa, for the most part, took place towards the middle of the twentieth century. Many of the problems faced by Africa today can be attributed to the impact of colonization. There has also been positive impacts, however, that have helped to move the continent forward since the pre-colonial era. One of the major long term consequences of colonizing Africa is the political culture of the different countries. Prior to the colonial era most of Africa could be described as a stateless society. Many of the borders of these modern states were created according to the whims and fancies of the different colonial leaders. “Namibia’s odd shape was created by the strategic requirements of a German foreign minister”2 . The current political rulers of the varied African countries retained the boundaries set by the colonial rulers with the exception of modern day Tanzania and Eritrea. . This in some way helped in the social identity of the different nations. Hodder stated that ‘once the colonial boundaries of Africa have been drawn up they acquired a permanence, which assisted by unified administration within them, helped to engender modern African unity’3 . In the establishment of the Organization of African States in 1963, on of the agreement made by the members was that ‘colonial boundaries should be regarded as inviolable’4 . This agreement helped to minimize the incidences of border clashes. One of the political problems resulting from the boundary changes in colonial time is the continuing conflicts within the different ethnic groups. These groups that once occupied territories prior to colonization were accustomed to living in their own villages and communities have now been confined to a space surrounded by artificial borders. The country of Nigeria has approximately two hundred and fifty different ethnic groups living the country. The boundary changed sparked the three years Biafran war from 1967 to 1970. Although the causes of the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 can not be largely due to the boundary changes in colonial time, the feud between the two ethnic groups the Hutus and the Tutsis have been fuelled in part by their colonial masters. In 1919 when the Belgian colonists arrived in Rwanda, they gave cards of identity to the natives. These cards classified them according to their ethnic origin. It is said that the Belgian considered the Tutsis to be superior to the Hutus. Accordingly for some years ‘after colonization the Tutsis were provided with better jobs and educational opportunities’5 . The Hutus started to gain an upper hand after Rwanda gained independence from Belgium in 1962. Political success and stability in Africa is still one of the factors that continue to hamper further development of the continent. The relics of colonization have forced certain countries to adopt European styles of political systems that are not suited for the demography and culture of the different states. Military coups and lack of true democracy in many countries have contributed, to a large extent, to the impoverishment of much of the population. The economic situation of much of the continent dates back to colonial rule. One of the ways ‘how Europe underdeveloped Africa’6 was in the transfer of wealth from Africa to Europe. Europe used its superiority in politics, technology, and economics in depleting the continent of its many resources while maintaining the capitalist lifestyles in the European countries. The will for political independence was also aimed at achieving economic success for the different states but this has been largely evasive in many of these countries. Nigeria is the seventh in the world of oil producing countries which would make it the wealthiest African country. This, however, does not translate into standard of living enjoyed by its populace in keeping with wealthy countries on an international level. The vast majority of Nigerians do not seem to be ‘benefitting perceptively and cumulatively from this wealth’7. The perception of Africa as the ‘dark continent’ is one that has affected the psyche of both Blacks and Caucasians alike. Many persons felt that Africa colonization was largely due to how Europe perceived Africans. They were seen as inferior to Europeans in terms of race, education, culture. Since colonization Europeans may be more subtle in terms of their beliefs but many scholars believed that not much has changed. Legum explained that through Western eyes Africa is seen as a ‘huge underdeveloped land that although it holds eleven percent of the world’s population it is a continent which has slid into economic ruin, corruption, despotic rule, coups and civil war’8 . The Atlantic slave trade which was one of the major aspects of Africa’s colonization in the early era proved to be one of the largest transportation of human cargo in world history. The events in that era pointed to the “racism that underpinned the ethos of slavery and colonialism”9 . Slavery has been judged by many to be the worst form of colonialism. The children of slaves who have been brought to the New World, to a large extent, are still burdened by some of the problems brought about by the colonization of Africa. Many of them live in developing countries and still bear some psychological scars of decolonization. In ‘Black Skin, White Mask’10 Franz analyzed the black psyche in the midst of a white dominated culture. He felt that there are some deep psychological problems affecting Blacks as a result of colonization. The European colonizers also brought contagious diseases with them that affected many Africans. Diseases such as measles and smallpox that were non existent in Africa but had existed in Europe for many centuries were quickly contracted by natives who offered little resistance. The fatality rate in some instances was huge. European newcomers were also affected by the endemic especially in parts of West Africa. The death rate was so high that parts of Africa were known as the ‘white man’s grave.’11 . The superiority of the European in medicine and technology has provided him with the tools to curtail and in some cases annihilate certain diseases in Europe. The economic situations in many countries in Africa prevented them from dealing effectively with these diseases introduced during the period of colonialism. As one of the world’s most deadly diseases it has been reported that “malaria kills three times more children in Africa than AIDS”12. The Europeans’ objective of spreading Christianity in Africa has been one of the hallmarks of colonization. Although Christianity was introduced to Northern Africa long before the arrival of the colonizers, the entry into Sub-Saharan Africa coincided with the arrival of the Portuguese. Christianity brought a wave of change in the cultural and social well-being of the converts as well as the communities in which they resided. Consequently, there have been several changes in some of the laws and customs. The Christian missions also helped in literacy and training. Through their presence and missionary work many Africans who would otherwise have been unable to get formal education were able to grasp these opportunities. They laid the basis for an ‘indigenous professional and administrative nucleus in African countries’13. One of the long term benefits of colonization came in the form of infrastructure. In a bid to allow the flourishing of their commercial and trade activities roads and railroads were built to allow for easy access to and fro the ports and coasts. In turn ports and waterways were improved. The mushrooming of new towns and villages encouraged rural population to move to more developed areas. Many Africans especially those of the political directorate welcomed the opportunity to study in European universities. This enabled them to gain knowledge of new systems and programs that could aid in the development of their respective countries. Colonization affected the linguistic system of the Africans. Many Africans were able to use one common language alongside their native dialects. Some political leaders use this to their advantage. In their quest of fostering nationalism within the different countries and also among the pan African movement many political leaders discouraged their countrymen from communicating in their native dialects. Ethnic associations were also often banned, and even the numerous indigenous languages spoken within each African state was disregarded. Usually just one official national language was chosen, generally that of the departing colonial power14. The long term consequences of colonization continue to be a topical issue within the continent itself as well as among those persons in the Diaspora. Many of the problems associated with colonization are not unique to the African continent as other countries around the globe have experienced similar problems in their quest for development. The leaders and the general population have to play their part in advancing the cause for material wealth and national development. The international community as well needs to participate as well in the development of these countries. They should do so with the same level of interest and vigor that they used during the days of colonialism. China is beginning to take on added interest in the African continent. This should be an important step in developing ties with Asia as many of those countries have undergone similar problems in their quest for nation building. Now that colonialism is in the distant past it is possible for the continent to move forward and mobilize their people for further development. As the world become of a global village the need for this is becoming more urgent. With the correct factors in place Africa too can become a power to reckon with.   Read More