Decolonization African Independence Andrea Kolich Eastern Cultures Warmup

Decolonization & African Independence Andrea Kolich Eastern Cultures

Warm-up • Based upon our previous class discussions, what were some of the effects of colonialism on Africa?

Imperialism Quote “If you woke up one morning and found that somebody had come to your house, and had declared that the house belonged to him, you would naturally be surprised, and you would like to know by what arrangement. ” Jomo Kenyatta – 1 st President of Kenya • How does this quote show an African reaction to European Imperialism in Africa? Use 3 examples

Imperialism Quote Desmond Tutu … “when the missionaries came to Africa, they had the Bible and we had the land. They said ‘let us close our eyes and pray’. When we opened them, we had the Bible, and they had the land”. • How does this quote show an African reaction to European Imperialism in Africa

The Effects of Colonialism Document #1: from Imperialism by J. A. Hobson, a British scholar The period of imperialism has witnessed many wars. Most of these wars have been caused by attacks of white races upon so-called “lower races. ” They have resulted in the taking of territory by force … The white rulers of the colonies live at the expense of the natives. Their chief work is to organize labor for their support. In the typical colony, the most fertile lands and the mineral resources are owned by white foreigners. These holdings are worked by natives under their [white foreigners] direction. The foreigners take wealth out of the country. All the hard work is done by the natives. • Question: What negative aspects of imperialism does Hobson point out?

The Effects of Colonialism Document #2: statement from Sekou Toure, an African nationalist • Colonialism’s greatest misdeed was to have tried to strip us of our responsibility in conducting our own affairs and convince us that our civilization was nothing less than savagery, thus giving us complexes which led to our being branded as irresponsible and lacking in selfconfidence. • Question: What criticism of imperialism does this African offer?

The Effects of Colonialism Document #3: resolution of the All-African People’s Conference, held in Accra, Ghana in 1958, which “condemns colonialism and imperialism” based on these premises: Whereas all African peoples … deplore the economic exploitation of African people by Imperialist Countries, thus reducing Africans to poverty in the midst of plenty … Whereas fundamental human rights, freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of movement, freedom of worship, freedom to live a full and abundant life … are denied to Africans through the activities of Imperialists. • Question: What are the reasons this group condemned imperialism?

The Effects of Colonialism Document #4: George H. T. Kimble, in a 1962 New York Times Magazine article, “Colonialism: the Good, the Bad, the Lessons” …they [the colonial powers] failed to provide the African with sufficient preparation … None of the newly independent countries [in Africa] had enough skilled African administrators to run their own … [or] enough African technicians to keep the public utilities working … And no country had an electorate that knew what independence was all about … For all its faults, colonial government provided security of person and property in lands that had known little of either … It was the colonial powers who were largely responsible for the opening of the region to the lumberman, miner, planter, and other men of means without whom its wealth would be continued to lie [unused]. • Question: What does this author cite as the negative effects of imperialism? As the positive effects?

The Effects of Colonialism Document #6: poem by David Diop The White Man killed my father, My father was proud. The White Man seduced my mother, My mother was beautiful. The White Man burnt my brother Beneath the noonday sun, My brother was strong. His hand red with black blood The White Man turned to me; And in the Conqueror’s voice said, “Boy! A chair, a napkin, a drink. ” • Question: What negative aspects of imperialism does Diop present in this poem?

The Effects of Colonialism Document #8: statement by Nnamdi Azikiwe, first president of independent Nigeria (1963 -1966) There exists in colonial lands a rule which has a stranglehold on the country’s economy. I regard the idea of imperialism as a crime against humanity, because it enables any part of the human race which is armed with modern scientific knowledge to rule over less fortunate sections of mankind, simply because the latter are unable to resist the force which supports such rule. … We demand the right to be free to make mistakes and learn from our experience. • Question: Given this statement, how do you think the author feels about the European belief in Social Darwinism?

Africa: States of Independence • https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Cgz. Sn. Zid Gu. U

Political Practice and Legacy • Colonial political systems were un-democratic. • Law and Order ("Peace") was a primary objective of colonial governments. • Colonial governments practiced "divide and lacked capacity. rule. "

Economic Practice and Legacy • Emphasis on exploitation of raw materials for export. • High demand for labor.

Social Practice and Legacy • Movement of People • Dislocation of Families • Urbanization. • Religious changes At the beginning of the colonial era, less than five per cent of the people in Africa identified themselves as Christian. Today, nearly 50% of the people in Africa identify themselves as Christians. • Education. More formalized, taking place in schools with an added emphasis on literacy and numeracyreading, writing, and mathematics. Koranic Schools

De. Colonization Video

Why: Demands for Equity • Demands for opportunity and inclusion harsh discrimination lack of opportunity • Religious opposition: led by African priests who were strongly opposed to colonial rule • Economic opposition: Unions-mine workers • Mass protests: 10, 000 women who had covered their faces with blue paint and carried fern-covered sticks.

The process • Decolonisation was achieved through various means, all with varying repercussions: Peaceful departure, transition to independence Violent revolts and armed struggles by native populations Peaceful negotiations • The number of white settlers- could lead to opposition

End of an Empire? “The wind of change is blowing through this continent, and whether we like it or not, this growth of national consciousness is a political fact. We must all accept it as a fact, and our national policies must take account of it. ” - British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan in 1960 to the South African Parliament • What is the significance of this statement to the British Empire?

What common ideals inspired anticolonists leaders and organizations?

Why 1960? The UN Declaration Against Colonialism • The General Assembly, Mindful of the determination proclaimed by the • The subjection of peoples to alien subjugation, domination and exploitation. . . is contrary to the Charter of the United Nations and is an impediment to the promotion of world peace and co-operation. • All peoples have the right to self-determination; by virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development. • Excerpt from the “Declaration Against Colonialism” adopted by the United Nations in 1960 peoples of the world in the Charter of the United Nations to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person. . , Solemnly proclaims the necessity of bringing to a speedy and unconditional end colonialism in all its forms. . . And to this end Declares that:

What common ideals inspired anticolonists leaders and organizations?

• "We refused to do this work. We were fighting for our freedom. We were not slaves. . There were two hundred guards. One hundred seventy stood around us with machine guns. Thirty guards were inside the trench with us. The white man in charge blew his whistle and the guards started beating us. They beat us from 8 am to 11. 30. They were beating us like dogs. I was covered by other bodies - just my arms and legs were exposed. I was very lucky to survive. But the others were still being beaten. There was no escape for them. ” • What does this sound like?

Settler Colonies • Were the last to gain independence • Nelson Mandela Non-violent protests Spent 27 years in prison before becoming the president of S. Africa • Eastern Bloc countries helped Why?

US Position on Apartheid

Results of Decolonization • Initial political parties reflected ethnic, regional, or religious groups - few true national parties • Power often gained by corrupt African “strongmen” (dictators) who ignored the social needs of people • Large loans to modernize economies squandered by those in power - leave little progress, lots of debt

In Their Own Words Independence for the Gold Coast was my aim. It was a colony and I have always regarded colonialism as the policy by which a foreign power binds territories to herself by political ties, with the primary object of promoting her own economic advantage. . . Thus we have witnessed the greatest awakening ever seen on this earth of suppressed and exploited peoples against the powers that have kept them in subjection. This, without a doubt, if the most significant happening of the twentieth century. Kwame Nkrumah, leader in the fight for Ghana’s independence

In Their Own Words The land is ours. When Europeans came, they kept us back and took our land. The freedom tree can only grow The land is ours. When Europeans came, they kept us back and took our land. The freedom tree can only grow when you pour blood on it. Jomo Kenyatta, leader of the fight for independence in Kenya, and its first president

Ghana is Free Forever At long last, the battle has ended! And thus Ghana, your beloved country is free forever. And yet again I want to take the opportunity to thank the chiefs and people of this country, the youth, the farmers, the women who have so nobly fought and won this battle. Also I want to thank the valiant ex-service men who have so co-operated with me in this mighty task of freeing our country from foreign rule and imperialism. And as I pointed out. . . I made it quite clear that from now on – today – we must change our attitudes, our minds, we must realise that from now on, we are no more a colonial but a free and independent people. But also, as I pointed out, that also entails hard work. Reshaping Ghana's destiny I am depending upon the millions of the country, and the chiefs and people, to help me to reshape the destiny of this country. We are prepared to pick it up and make it a nation that will be respected by every nation in the world. We know we are going to have difficult beginnings, but again, I'm relying upon your support, I'm relying upon your hard work.

Ghana is Free Forever Seeing you in this… it doesn't matter how far my eye goes, I can see that you are here in your millions and my last warning to you is that you are to stand firm behind us so that we can prove to the world that when the African is given a chance he can show the world that he is somebody! We have awakened. We will not sleep anymore. Today, from now on, there is a new African in the world That new African is ready to fight his own battles and show that after all, the black man is capable of managing his own affairs. We are going to demonstrate to the world, to the other nations, that we are prepared to lay our own foundation. Our own African identity As I said in the assembly just minutes ago, I made a point that we are going to create our own African personality and identity. It's the only way that we can show the world that we are ready for our own battles. But today, may I call upon you all - that on this great day, let us all remember that nothing in the world can be done unless it's had the purport and support of God. We have won the battle and we again re-dedicate ourselves. . . Our independence is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of Africa. Let us now fellow Ghanaians, let us now ask for God's blessing and for only two seconds in your thousands and millions, I want to ask you to pause only for one minute and give thanks to almighty God for having led us through our difficulties, imprisonments, hardships and suffering to have brought us to the end of our trouble today.

The Mask of Anarchy Rise like lions after slumber In unvanqiushable number, Shake your chains to earth like dew Which in sleep had fallen on you-- Ye are many--they are few. . . Let a vast assembly be, And with great solemnity Declare with the measured words that ye Are, as God has made ye, free. . With folded arms and steady eyes, And little fear, and less surprise , Look upon them as they slay Till their rage has died away. Then they will return with shame To the place from which they came, And the blood thus shed will speak In hot blushes on their cheek. . And that slaughter to the nation Shall steam up like inspiration, Eloquent, oracular; A volcano heard afar. By Percy Bysshe Shelley , later quoted and memorized by Mahatma Gandhi, 1946

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