Defining key term
• Colonialism
Is the acquisition, establishment, exploitation, maintenance, and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a set of unequal relationship between the colonial power and the colony and between the colonists and the indigenous population.
The situation where a powerful country takes over a less powerful country and begins to rule that country as a subordinate, all the resources of the colonized country are controlled by its colonial superior
When African colonies attained their independence in the 1960s, colonialism was replaced by Neo-colonialism
• Continuation….
• The historical development of African colonization was a result of the transition from capitalism to imperialism
• From the 1860s capitalism experienced transformation from competitive to monopoly capitalism (imperialism). Monopoly capitalism was characterized by :
ü Formation of big monopolistic associations. Some capitalists managed to unite their capital to form big monopolistic associations to control sources of markets and raw materials .
o Small capitalists had been swallowed up by big ones as they were unable to unite and control the sources of market and raw materials. Therefore, only the very powerful capitalist remained and survived.
ü Banks assumed new roles of lending money and directing investments. The capitalists would now borrow money for investments after satisfying the bankers that they would invest money in profitable investment.
• Continuation …..
ü The merging of bank capital and industrial capital resulted to finance capital. It was this capital which financed the exploration of the continent by colonial agents resulting to the final colonization of Africa
ü Tremendous expansion of industrial production in the capitalist countries ( Britain, France, German,). Initially Britain took a leading role in industrial production and it was referred to as the workshop of the world. It also controlled the world’s major sources of market and raw materials.
But the situation changed drastically during the 19th century as Britain began experiencing severe competition for market and raw materials from the newly industrialized states
• Continuation…
• Intensive competition and a declining home market ( due to over production and under consumption- because of low purchasing power as workers were paid low wages) encouraged the capitalist to look for external colonies. It was expected that colonies :
ü Would serve as sources of cheap industrial raw materials
ü Would serve as markets for industrial products
ü Would offer places where surplus capital could be invested and re-invested
ü Would provide employment for the unemployed of Europe
ü Would provide places to settle excess population
ü Also in the colonial territories, monopoly capital would force the colonized to grow and collect industrial raw materials such as cotton, coffee, rubber and minerals.
ü Colonial subjects would be forced to buy cheap industrial products at high price.
• Continuation…..
• By the end of the 19th century, Africa was the only uncolonized continent. So each of the capitalist powers had to rush and grab as much of Africa as possible. The rush for colonial acquisition led to the scramble for and the final partition of Africa.
THE SCRAMBLE FOR AND PARTITION OF AFRICA
SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA
• Scramble for Africa suggest a sudden rush for colonial acquisition in Africa. This sudden rush for colonial acquisition in Africa was triggered by capitalist desire to resolve their home based economic problems. The solution to these economic problems laid in overseas colonies as Europe alone was unable to resolve its economic problems because :
ü There was no room for further expansion.
ü Internal market was weakened by low purchasing power and overproduction
ü Labor became very expensive as laborers became conscious of their rights
ü Raw materials became scarce and expensive due to the invention of huge, efficient and numerous machines which required large amount of raw materials
• Scramble for Africa suggest a sudden rush for colonial acquisition in Africa. This sudden rush for colonial acquisition in Africa was triggered by capitalist desire to resolve their home based economic problems. The solution to these economic problems laid in overseas colonies as Europe alone was unable to resolve its economic problems because :
ü There was no room for further expansion.
ü Internal market was weakened by low purchasing power and overproduction
ü Labor became very expensive as laborers became conscious of their rights
ü Raw materials became scarce and expensive due to the invention of huge, efficient and numerous machines which required large amount of raw materials
THE PARTITION OF AFRICA
• Partition Africa is used to mean the division of Africa among the capitalist powers.
• Four important theories have been used to explain why Africa was partitioned among the capitalist powers:
Ø Lenin and Hobson have theorized that, the partition of Africa was necessitated by economic demands generated by the development of capitalism. According to these scholars, over production and low purchasing power of consumers led to the decline of home markets and capitalist profits. Thus, the capitalists were forced to look for profitable areas oversees.
Ø Strategic theory held that, the partition of Africa was triggered by the desire to control strategic areas so as to defend national interest more effectively. For example, British occupation of Egypt and its Nile valley in 1882 was aiming at safeguarding the Suez canal, an important trade route to India.
• Continuation….
Ø The prestige theory suggest that, the continent was partitioned for prestigious sake. European nations believed that colonial possession was a sign of greatness. As a result they began struggling to acquire as many colonies as possible particularly from Africa. This struggle finally necessitated the partition of Africa.
Ø Other economic historians have theorized that the partition of Africa as the expansion of capitalist economy through acquisition of overseas colonies, and thus colonial acquisition the only way to avoid social and political problems at home . This idea was further supported by Cecil Rhodes who maintains that “ if you want to avoid civil war at home, you must be an imperialist”.
• Events that precipitated the partition
• Three important events culminated the partition of Africa:
• The conflict over the Congo area and its basin. This area was competed by France, Belgium and Portugal.
• King Leopold of Belgium wanted to make Congo his personal colony.
• The French also were interested with the area and thus, they made a number of treaties with the local rulers of the area, north of lower Congo river.
• The Portuguese had been operating in the area for a number of years. This made them to develop claims over the area. In their claims over the region, they were supported by the British who in 1884 signed a treaty to recognize Portuguese claims in the area.
• Continuation…
• German occupation of Togoland, Cameroon, South West Africa, and East Africa between 1883 and 1885, threatened other European powers which had colonial interests in the continent. This increased the struggle for colonial possession among the capitalist power.
• The Egyptian conflict. Egypt was competed by French and Britain. The area was highly competed by the two powers because of its strategic importance ( a trade route to India especially after the completion of the Suez canal, security reasons, fertility of the Nile delta, and its high population)
• These conflicts among the capitalist powers became so bitter that they signalized the outbreak of war. It was against this background that Berlin conference was convened so as to divide Africa peacefully and avert war outbreak among the capitalist powers.
• The Berlin conference 1884-1885
• In order to ward off the danger of war, Bismarck the then chancellor of Germany convened a conference of all capitalist powers in Berlin at the end of 1884. USA attended the conference as an interested observer, because she had no sphere of influence in Africa.
• The conference passed a number of resolutions:
– Free navigation in all major rivers such as the Congo, the Niger, the Nile, and the Zambezi even in time of wars.
– The Congo basin was declared a free trade zone for all capitalists under protection of King Leopold of Belgium
– Principle of notification. Every acquisition of new territory should be notified to other powers to avoid further conflicts
– Principle of effective occupation. Occupation of territories was to be followed by effective occupation. This would include raising flag, sending administrative officials and armies, collecting taxes and pacifying the local people.
– Abolition of slave trade and slavery whenever it existed.
• Partition of East Africa
• After the Berlin conference, the competing powers in East Africa, Germany and Britain faced the problem of the role of the Sultan of Zanzibar and the extent of his authority. This problem was solved through two important treaties, the Anglo-German agreement of 1886 and the Anglo-German agreement of 1890.
• The Anglo-German agreement of 1886
The Anglo-German agreement of 1886 was the first major signal of the demise / collapse of the Zanzibar Sultanate. Under this agreement:
– The Sultan’s area of authority was confined to the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia
– The coastal towns of Kismayu, Brava, and Merca were also given to the sultan
• Continuation….
– The Sultan’s control over the interior was reduced to a mere 16 KM wide coastal strip running from Tungi bay in the south to Kipini bay in the north.
– Germany retained access to the strategic coastal town of Dar es salaam, Bagamoyo and Pangani which were otherwise part of the Sultan’s authority.
– In addition German retained Witu along the coast of what later became Kenya colony.
Ø However, one of the major weakness of 1886 treaty was that, it did not define the boundaries between the areas under each of the two competing imperialist powers, Britain and German.
ü Consequently, Britain and Germany started competing for control of Uganda (because it is the source of the Nile, it had fertile soils and high population). Hence, it was important for the two powers to enter into another agreement.
• ii. The Anglo-German agreement of 1890 ( Helgoland treaty)
• This was often referred to as the Helgoland treaty of 1890. Helgoland was a small German archipelago in the north sea. It is located 46 km off the German coastline. The island is found in German, but in 1807 following the Napoleonic wars, it was captured by the British.
• Under this agreement:
– The boundaries between German East Africa and Uganda on the one hand and the boundary between Kenya and Germany East Africa on the other were fixed.
– Germany abandoned her possession of Witu which was incorporated into the British possession of Kenya.
– In return for Witu, Germany got from Britain the island of Helgoland off the coast of Germany in the north sea. German needed to use the island as a military base.
• Continuation….
– German gained total control over what was formerly the Sultan’s 16 km wide coastal strip from Tungi to Kipini
– German controlled the ports of Tanga, Bagamoyo, Dar es salaam, Kilwa and Mikindani.
– Germany recognized British protectorate over Zanzibar and the rest of the Sultans territory.
• By 1891, East Africa was already partitioned with Britain controlling what is now Kenya and Uganda and Germany controlling Tanzania mainland, Rwanda and Burundi. Thus, by this time, Tanganyika officially came under Germany control.
• Generally, African societies did not seem willing to give up their independence. Nearly every where, effective occupation was difficult. It was followed by widespread resistances in most parts of the colony.
• Partition Africa is used to mean the division of Africa among the capitalist powers.
• Four important theories have been used to explain why Africa was partitioned among the capitalist powers:
Ø Lenin and Hobson have theorized that, the partition of Africa was necessitated by economic demands generated by the development of capitalism. According to these scholars, over production and low purchasing power of consumers led to the decline of home markets and capitalist profits. Thus, the capitalists were forced to look for profitable areas oversees.
Ø Strategic theory held that, the partition of Africa was triggered by the desire to control strategic areas so as to defend national interest more effectively. For example, British occupation of Egypt and its Nile valley in 1882 was aiming at safeguarding the Suez canal, an important trade route to India.
• Continuation….
Ø The prestige theory suggest that, the continent was partitioned for prestigious sake. European nations believed that colonial possession was a sign of greatness. As a result they began struggling to acquire as many colonies as possible particularly from Africa. This struggle finally necessitated the partition of Africa.
Ø Other economic historians have theorized that the partition of Africa as the expansion of capitalist economy through acquisition of overseas colonies, and thus colonial acquisition the only way to avoid social and political problems at home . This idea was further supported by Cecil Rhodes who maintains that “ if you want to avoid civil war at home, you must be an imperialist”.
• Events that precipitated the partition
• Three important events culminated the partition of Africa:
• The conflict over the Congo area and its basin. This area was competed by France, Belgium and Portugal.
• King Leopold of Belgium wanted to make Congo his personal colony.
• The French also were interested with the area and thus, they made a number of treaties with the local rulers of the area, north of lower Congo river.
• The Portuguese had been operating in the area for a number of years. This made them to develop claims over the area. In their claims over the region, they were supported by the British who in 1884 signed a treaty to recognize Portuguese claims in the area.
• Continuation…
• German occupation of Togoland, Cameroon, South West Africa, and East Africa between 1883 and 1885, threatened other European powers which had colonial interests in the continent. This increased the struggle for colonial possession among the capitalist power.
• The Egyptian conflict. Egypt was competed by French and Britain. The area was highly competed by the two powers because of its strategic importance ( a trade route to India especially after the completion of the Suez canal, security reasons, fertility of the Nile delta, and its high population)
• These conflicts among the capitalist powers became so bitter that they signalized the outbreak of war. It was against this background that Berlin conference was convened so as to divide Africa peacefully and avert war outbreak among the capitalist powers.
• The Berlin conference 1884-1885
• In order to ward off the danger of war, Bismarck the then chancellor of Germany convened a conference of all capitalist powers in Berlin at the end of 1884. USA attended the conference as an interested observer, because she had no sphere of influence in Africa.
• The conference passed a number of resolutions:
– Free navigation in all major rivers such as the Congo, the Niger, the Nile, and the Zambezi even in time of wars.
– The Congo basin was declared a free trade zone for all capitalists under protection of King Leopold of Belgium
– Principle of notification. Every acquisition of new territory should be notified to other powers to avoid further conflicts
– Principle of effective occupation. Occupation of territories was to be followed by effective occupation. This would include raising flag, sending administrative officials and armies, collecting taxes and pacifying the local people.
– Abolition of slave trade and slavery whenever it existed.
• Partition of East Africa
• After the Berlin conference, the competing powers in East Africa, Germany and Britain faced the problem of the role of the Sultan of Zanzibar and the extent of his authority. This problem was solved through two important treaties, the Anglo-German agreement of 1886 and the Anglo-German agreement of 1890.
• The Anglo-German agreement of 1886
The Anglo-German agreement of 1886 was the first major signal of the demise / collapse of the Zanzibar Sultanate. Under this agreement:
– The Sultan’s area of authority was confined to the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia
– The coastal towns of Kismayu, Brava, and Merca were also given to the sultan
• Continuation….
– The Sultan’s control over the interior was reduced to a mere 16 KM wide coastal strip running from Tungi bay in the south to Kipini bay in the north.
– Germany retained access to the strategic coastal town of Dar es salaam, Bagamoyo and Pangani which were otherwise part of the Sultan’s authority.
– In addition German retained Witu along the coast of what later became Kenya colony.
Ø However, one of the major weakness of 1886 treaty was that, it did not define the boundaries between the areas under each of the two competing imperialist powers, Britain and German.
ü Consequently, Britain and Germany started competing for control of Uganda (because it is the source of the Nile, it had fertile soils and high population). Hence, it was important for the two powers to enter into another agreement.
• ii. The Anglo-German agreement of 1890 ( Helgoland treaty)
• This was often referred to as the Helgoland treaty of 1890. Helgoland was a small German archipelago in the north sea. It is located 46 km off the German coastline. The island is found in German, but in 1807 following the Napoleonic wars, it was captured by the British.
• Under this agreement:
– The boundaries between German East Africa and Uganda on the one hand and the boundary between Kenya and Germany East Africa on the other were fixed.
– Germany abandoned her possession of Witu which was incorporated into the British possession of Kenya.
– In return for Witu, Germany got from Britain the island of Helgoland off the coast of Germany in the north sea. German needed to use the island as a military base.
• Continuation….
– German gained total control over what was formerly the Sultan’s 16 km wide coastal strip from Tungi to Kipini
– German controlled the ports of Tanga, Bagamoyo, Dar es salaam, Kilwa and Mikindani.
– Germany recognized British protectorate over Zanzibar and the rest of the Sultans territory.
• By 1891, East Africa was already partitioned with Britain controlling what is now Kenya and Uganda and Germany controlling Tanzania mainland, Rwanda and Burundi. Thus, by this time, Tanganyika officially came under Germany control.
• Generally, African societies did not seem willing to give up their independence. Nearly every where, effective occupation was difficult. It was followed by widespread resistances in most parts of the colony.
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