Colonization and Independence in Africa: Part 3
Choose one primary source quotation from this part of the reading. Write two to three sentences explaining what you think this quotation means in its historical context
"Our history needs to be rewritten as the history of our society, not as the story of European adventures. African society must be treated as enjoying its own integrity; its history a mirror of that society, and the European contact must find its place in this history only as an African experience, even if as a crucial one." - Kwame Nkrumah, prime minister of Ghana, 1964 This quote was given right around / after the time that African colonies had gained independence. In this context, Kwame Nkrumah is 'hyping up' his country, because as discussed, they were facing many economic and political conflicts, and therefore the prime minister was likely trying to encourage his country and, to an extent, address the psychological conflicts that the country was experiencing.
In what ways did Britain and France try to influence their former colonies after independence?
Both Britain and France treated each of their colonies unequally, going as far as pushing for independence for one colony while fighting/stopping revolters in another colony. As well, British and French leaders assisted African politicians who supported European businesses and control to continue after independence. At one point, as they were leaving their colonies to give them independence, Britain and France alike were still trying to salvage what they could of their control by convincing the colonies to allow the countries to keep their military bases in the territory. Once Britain and France had left their colonies, they proceeded to push even further to gain more influence and power over the now independent countries by inviting them to international organizations that would grant Britain and France what they wanted.
How do the legacies of colonialism affect Africa today?
On one hand, the economy built by colonialism has stayed pretty similar due to the fact that Africans could not choose their economic interests and priorities. On the other hand, colonialism caused lots of racism towards Africans from the Europeans, stripping them of their culture. To this day, Africans are working to influence pride in African cultures and perspectives. More recently, ties between African and American leaders have been fighting for more equality in the United States for African Americans. Everyone has likely seen the stereotypes and racism that still exist in our community today, because although many people have been working to fight it, racism absolutely still exists all over the world. This is happening not only in the US, but also at a global level. The African Union is another super important legacy that resulted from colonialism. The African Union is a group of African countries that work together to solve conflicts, promote good governance, and coordinate economic activity, as a way of addressing the needs of the continent. In the end, it is safe to conclude that while African countries have faced many, many hardships since independence, they have also faced countless successes.
How did political and economic challenges affect newly independent African countries?
The African countries had a hard time making connections, because they were newly independent, meaning that they weren't connected to other countries, even in Africa, so they had few ties to trade within the global economy. The colonies had few exports and relied on their many imports, making it difficult for the countries to be more self-sustaining. The countries' leaders believed that becoming independent would fix everything, but they quickly realized that becoming an independent country did not suddenly solve their many problems. The leaders were still left with the same battered and broken down colony, except the country was no longer a colony and rather independent. Because of this, the countries paid more for imports than they did for exports, leaving many in debt as a result of independence. There was also so little infrastructure, meaning trade was harder, making it even more difficult for the countries to be economically stable. At the same time, this struggle forced the countries to become more independent. They did this by forming new industries and beginning more agriculture. Independence also greatly influenced the countries to start new trade internationally throughout both countries in Africa, as well as globally.
How did the Cold War struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union affect certain countries in Africa?
Throughout the war, African colonies became battlegrounds for the conflict between the United States and Soviet Union, expanding and drawing out the violence that was already occurring. Outside of the colonies, newly independent countries in Africa formed the Non-Aligned movement as a way of avoiding the superpower conflict and remaining independent. This alignment still exists today as a means of helping colonies gain independence as well as increasing international relations between Africa and the rest of the world.
