Colonization Effects on Africas Economy, Culture and Religion - Coursework Example

Colonization effects on Africa’s economy, culture and religion. Colonization in Africa had long lasting effects still experienced in modern day Africa. The impacts of colonialism in Africa is still debatable among historians and researchers even though a lot of time has passed since colonialism ended (Ranger, 256). Some historians argue that colonialism caused the underdevelopment of Africa. They point out to the exploitative and repressive regimes of the colonial rulers. This school of thought believe that colonialism exploited Africa’s natural resources and destroyed the social and economic structures of the local communities through forced labor. Others argue that colonialism was beneficial to Africa since it led to urbanization, development of infrastructure, introduction of a capitalist economy as well as education in Africa. Although, the infrastructural development established by the colonial rulers is evident in Africa to date, these infrastructure designs aimed at benefitting the colonial powers than the African communities. Colonization hurt the economies of African countries and destroyed indigenous African culture and religious practices through culture imperialism. Proponents of colonization argue that Africa did not have a developed value systems worth preserving. This argument is erroneous and misleading. Shillington (67) state that prior to colonization, Africa had its unique and indigenous value systems based on African culture and religious practices. Some historians termed African culture as backward and primitive. This argument is biased and unfair. These historians judge African indigenous culture using western ideas and terms. Value system exists in relation to culture. African value system monitored and governed the culture of the different African communities in the pre-colonial period. Terming African culture as primitive and unworthy is an illogical and erroneous way to justify and support westernization and the subsequent erosion of African culture and value systems. An important aspect in African culture in pre-colonial period was the institution of marriage (McKenna, 145). In African traditional society, marriage was a union between two people of the opposite sex. Marriage institution was polygamous where a man could marry more than one wife. Marriage institution was not an individual affair, but exemplified the communal nature of African societies. Family and community members had to approve marriage partners and even investigate their family backgrounds. African societies considered marriage a union between two extended families or two clans. Marriage systems therefore, enhanced and fostered cohesion and social integration. The society measured the worth of men by the number of wives they married. African societies did not limit the number of children a family should sire. They emphasized on children for family continuity and maintenance of family name. The institution of marriage was integral and sacred in African traditional culture. Colonialism discouraged and changed the traditional practices of marriage. Colonization through missionaries discouraged polygamous marriage. The missionaries introduced Christian values in Africa that emphasized on monogamous marriages. They argued that marrying numerous wives was wrong and sinful and against Christians ideals. The new ideals propagated by the colonizers weakened the institution of marriage in African societies. Marriage pre-colonial Africa was a social event that united the communities. Colonization downplayed the importance of communal systems in marriage by introducing modernity into marriage where community members have no power to determine the choice of marriage partners. Although some argue that polygamous marriage increases health risks of contracting HIV/ AIDS, during pre-colonial periods, these families enjoyed general good health. Prior to the colonial period, marriage was a strong social system that ensured family continuity and a respectable institution (McKenna, 155). Colonialism destroyed African family systems and values. It brought the belief of family consisting of a man, the wife and their children. However, the traditional African family set-up consisted of people of a common decent. Traditional African families comprised of the extended family including nephews, grandchildren among others. In these traditional societies, a person’s fulfillment does not occur individually, but through the fulfillment of other members of the extended family. The pre-colonial family set-ups established a social and spiritual relationship with clan members both the living and the dead. In addition, traditional African societies cherished large families and the siring of numerous children. African societies viewed children as a blessing irrespective of their health, education or social status. From colonialism, began family control methods limiting the number of children African families could have. Fredland (266) argues that colonial practices such as forced labor and slavery broke family ties through separation. Colonialism made it extremely difficult to have large family and communal gatherings. Colonial powers practiced the divide-and-rule policies, which divided communities and clans thereby breaking the strong family ties in customary African societies. Contrary to beliefs among some western scholars that Africans did not have a clear religious identity, traditional African societies were highly religious. Traditional African societies practiced religious practices in their political, social and economic lives. Just like Christianity believed in God, African religions believed in a supernatural being. African religious believed in spirits, witchcraft and sorcery. African religions also believed in life after death akin to Christianity. In these societies, people worshipped their dead ancestors who they acknowledged as the link between the living and their gods. They referred to their deceased ancestors as the living dead. These religious groups offered libations and performed rituals to honor their gods and the living dead. African religions worshipped the spirits that controlled and created natural things and events. These groups worshipped natural objects such as rivers, mountains, moons and stars as an honor to the creator of these objects. Africans religions had rules that all members had to ascribe to or risk the wrath of god. These religions urged members not to sin against god because doing so had negative consequences on the entire community. Religion also enhanced communal practices in this regard. Any commitment of a sacrilege was a violation to the entire community. It was therefore, a communal responsibility to appease the gods to prevent any communal harm. They associated natural calamities such as famine, flooding and earthquakes to the wrath of god. African traditional societies offered sacrifices to thank god for bumper harvest, success, fertility and prosperity. As a result, traditional African societies integrated religious beliefs with their economic and social lives. Colonialism replaced indigenous African traditional practices with Christianity. Colonialism denigrated African religious practices as arcane and primitive. African religions encouraged societal good and morals while forbidding evil deeds and barbaric behaviors such as killing, rape and incest. Unfortunately, colonialism rejected the traditional African religions out rightly and imposed Christianity on the Africans. African economy prior to colonialism as a traditional economy with no value monetization of commodities. The Africa had a simple economy that as mainly subsistence. Africa had a communal, distributive economy where those who worked hard gained while the society adjudged the lazy members. Trade occurred through the barter system where there was no money value attached on commodities. The societies encouraged communal labor on the farms to produce enough produce for the community. Ranger (267), colonialism introduced the money system in Africa. Although a monetized economy has numerous economic benefits, the introduction of the monetized system caused the social problems that still bedevils Africa to date. Thanks to the money system, money is the sole symbol of social security as well as an indicator of social status. The monetized economy has exacerbated materialism among Africans. Africans in the post-colonial era became obsessed with accumulation of as much material possession as possible. In the post-colonial period, vices such as corruption, greed and electoral malpractices became prevalent. In this era, most Africans engaged in all sort of vices in order to accumulate material possession. The obsession of material possession was absent in the pre-colonial period where there was emphasis on communal benefit over individual prosperity. Colonization hurt Africa economically and contributed to the underdevelopment of the continent through the exploitation of its natural resources. One of the main objectives of colonization was to obtain raw materials for the colonizer’s industries. Prior to colonization, industrialization had taken place in Europe. Industries in Europe required raw materials to operate. These colonial powers saw Africa as a reliable source of raw materials. The colonial powers invested heavily in extracting Africa’s mineral resources such as diamond, gold, iron as well as coal and oil. To exploit these resources, the colonial powers had to build infrastructure such as roads and railways to transport these minerals back to Europe. The infrastructural network established by the colonial powers was not to benefit the Africans but to benefit these powers. The objective of the colonial rulers to benefit themselves by extracting minerals for their industries at the expense of their colonial territories. Colonialism marked the integration of Africa into the world’s capitalist system. Peterson (178) elaborates that colonialism was therefore, a period of international commerce with Europe merchants obtaining African produce such as cocoa, palm and rubber and selling them to industries in Europe and America. According to Peterson (78), slavery closely related with colonialism, had enormous negative consequences on Africa’s economic development. The slave trade depleted and drained African human power. The slave merchants selected the economically and physically active humans for slavery. Millions of Africans died or suffered severe injuries during the transatlantic trade. Millions of Africans who could have contributed to the economic development of Africa died during the slave. In addition, transatlantic trade caused family misery and suffering. The slave traders in conjunction with local chiefs conducted village raids and kidnappings thereby separating families. Those left behind in the African villages were too weak and unhealthy to work productively and spur economic development. The transatlantic slave trade deprived Africa of millions of workers who could participate in the development of the continent. The economic policies introduced by the colonial masters has enhanced dependency thus stultifying development in Africa (Fredland, 167). The colonial powers introduced cash crop farming to produce raw materials for their industries back in Europe. Even to date, most African countries rely on the export of cash crops to global markets for growth. Some African countries export raw unprocessed agricultural goods that fetch low prices at the global market. As a result, these countries still rely on their colonial masters to buy these products for their industries. Dependency on colonial masters is also evident in the lack of adequate domestic manufacturing industries in most African countries. Most manufacturing companies in some African countries were established during the colonial period by the colonizers. Some of the industries are multinational companies that belong to the colonial countries. Most African countries therefore, spend much of their revenues to import industrial machinery goods from the colonial masters. With negative balance of trade and low domestic savings, some African countries borrow funds from Bretton Woods Institutions such as World Bank for development purposes. Unfortunately, these institutions are under the control of the developed colonial masters. Fredland (256) explains that, most African countries have become reliant on foreign aids from developed countries that discourages domestic savings thereby exacerbating the dependency problem. The table below shows public aid and private investment by some European countries during the colonial period. Investment in Africa (millions US dollars) Years Public Aid Private Investment Great Britain 1956-1963 2.867 2.791 France 1956-1963 6.811 2.853 Belgium 1956-1980 444 523 Source: African Economic Outlook. Colonialism especially the fight for colonies led to the partitioning of Africa. European powers such as Britain, France and Germany partitioned Africa and declared them their territories (Balch, 56). The European powers divided Africa in 1886 in Europe without considering any rules whatsoever. The demarcation of Africa took place without any consultation of the African communities but with total disregard of the rights of the African communities. As a result, the demarcation of Africa by the colonial rulers separated certain communities and created small powerless states. In fact, the incessant conflicts and wars that have been ravaging some parts of the continent are due to the boundaries created by the colonial rulers. Colonial boundaries created small nations that cannot raise enough revenues for economic development. Conflict wars in countries like Congo and the 1994 Rwanda genocide are all due to the fighting for resources that the colonial boundaries wrongly separated. Colonialism caused the economic underdevelopment of Africa and destroyed Africa’s cultural and religious practices. Colonization had some benefits to the Africa such as development of roads, railways, schools and hospitals. Colonization also led to the development of modern judicial systems, urbanization and women empowerment. Nonetheless, it led to the eradication of African’s religious and cultural aspects. Colonization led to culture imperialism that entailed the belief that African beliefs and value systems were inferior. These arguments judge and view African cultural and religious practices using western terms and approaches. In pre-colonial Africa, there was a strong cultural and religious society with unique practices. Unfortunately, colonialism and the subsequent westernization that ensued led to the erosion and eradication of these cultures. Works cited Balch, Thomas. ‘French Colonization in North Africa.’ The American Political Science Review, 3(4), pp 539-551. Print. Fredland, Richard A. Understanding Africa: a political economy perspective. Chicago: Burnham Inc, Publishers, 2001. Print. McKenna, Amy. The history of Northern Africa. New York, NY: Britannica Educational Pub. In association with Rosen Educational Services, 2011. Print. Peterson, Charles. Dubois, Fanon, Cabral: the margins of elite anti-colonial leadership. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2007. Print. Ranger, Terence. ‘Europeans in black Africa.’ Journal of World History, 9(2), pp 255-268. 1998. Print. Shillington, Kevin. Encyclopedia of African history. Mason, OH: Routledge Publishers, 2013. Print. Read More