Africa, the Middle East, and Asia
in the Era of Independence
Chapter 34
Africa, the Middle East, and Asia
I. The Challenges of Independence
II. Post-Colonial Options for Achieving
Economic Growth and Social Justice
III. Delayed Revolutions: Religious Revivalism
and Liberation Movements in Settler
Societies
The Colonial Divisions of Africa and the
Emergence of New Nations
The Partition of South Asia: The Formation of
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka
The Challenges of Independence
• Nationalist movements in Africa, Middle East,
and Asia involved mass mobilization
– Nationalist leaders had to promise jobs, civil rights,
equality to gain their support (visions of utopia)
– Once Europeans driven away, there would be enough
resources for everyone
– Post Europeans: Not enough resources to go around
– Long standing tensions between groups resurface
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Boundaries (Pakistan and Bangladesh)
Human conflicts in Africa cause famine and starvation
Civil wars consume resources that could bolster economy
Politicians ignore problems
The Population Bomb
• “New World “ foods (Pop. Growth in China, India, Java, Niger delta)
• War and famine reduced
• Death rates fall, births increase, improved hygiene and medical
treatment, improved sewage systems, purified water
– South Asia: moderate growth rates have led to huge populations
– Africa: Fast growing population, but AIDS and economy may slow or
reduce growth
• Hurt by lack of industry, can’t provide for own populations
• Population control difficult
– cultural factors
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Resistance to birth control, procreation seen as sign of male virility
Some African and Asian leader oppose state attempts at birth control
Importance of lineage in Africa
Sons important for continuing family line
Women important in Africa, but not Asia
– Prior to 20th century high mortality rates mean losing 10-12 of 15-16
children
• Necessary to have many children to take care of parents
Parasitic Cities and Endangered
Ecosystems
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Mass migrations to urban areas
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Towns don’t have industrial sectors
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Few jobs, competition for those that existed, ensures low wages
Unemployed turn to street vending, scavenging, begging, petty crime
Urban Poor= volatile factor in politics
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Search for jobs, “good life”
Cheer on one or jeer the other, riot and loot in times of crisis, shock troops, urban mobs
Towns
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Slums with makeshift shelters
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towns parasitic: heavily dependant for survival on food and resources drawn from their own country side or
from abroad
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Originally no electricity, running water, sewage
become permanent
Take from countryside, give little in return
Problems caused by rural overpopulation:
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Soil depletion
Deforestation
Overgrazing
Desertification
Industrial pollution (even though industry is small, pollution is greater because they cant afford antipollution
technology)
The Subordination of Women and the Nature of
Feminist Struggles in the Postcolonial Era
– Many emerging nations write female suffrage into their constitutions
– Some women’s rule can be deceptive
• Indira Gandhi: India’s prime minister, one of the most resolute and powerful of all third world
leaders
– Daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru (India’s first prime minister)
• Corazon Aquino: President of Philippines
– Wife of martyred leader of Filipino opposition to Ferdinand Marcos
• Benazir Bhutto: Prime minister of Pakistan
– Daughter of Pakistani prime minister toppled by military coup and executed
– Most women in Africa, Middle East, Asia have been relegated to peripheral political positions or
have no participation in political process
– Second class position in most societies
• Early marriage ages, large family norms prevent higher education or career
• Male-centric customs (India serve husbands and son first, eat what is left)
– 1970’s: 20% of female population is malnourished, 30% have diet below acceptable UN
standards
– Low sanitation and scarcity of food causes anxiety for women about nutrition for children and
disease
– Religious Revivalism:
• Veiling, stoning those caught in adultery
• Dominated by male family members
Neocolonialism, Cold War Rivalries, and
Stunted Development
• Industrial development
– little success, need capital to develop, little left once other
state expenses are paid
• Cash crops, minerals
– dependent on prices, causes problems with future
spending plans
• Other Problems:
– Neocolonialism: global economy dominated by industrial
nations
– Corruption
– High concessions for international assistance
Post-Colonial Options for Achieving
Economic Growth and Social Justice
• Charismatic Populists and One-Party Rule
– Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana
• Soviet support
• cocoa, cash crop
• deposed, 1966
The New West African Nations
Military Responses: Dictatorships and
Revolutions
• Muslim Brotherhood
– Hasan al-Banna
• Free Officers, 1930s
– nationalistic
– Gamal Abdul Nasser
– allied with Muslim Brotherhood
Military Responses: Dictatorships and
Revolutions
• Nasser
– land redistribution
– free education
– food staples regulated
– forced British from Canal zone
– Israel
• Six-Day War, 1967
Military Responses: Dictatorships and
Revolutions
• Anwar Sadat
– negotiations with Israel
• Hosni Mubarak
The Middle East in the
Cold War Era
The Indian Alternative: Development for
Some of the People
• Indian National Congress
– social reform
– economic development
– democracy
– civil rights
• Jawaharlal Nehru
– Green Revolution
• private investment
Delayed Revolutions: Religious Revivalism and
Liberation Movements in Settler Societies
• Iran: Religious Revivalism and the Rejection of
the West
– Pahlavi shahs
• modernization
• alienates religious leaders
• overthrown by Khomeini, 1978
– Ayatollah Khomeini
• similar to Mahdi
Delayed Revolutions: Religious Revivalism and
Liberation Movements in Settler Societies
• Iran: Religious Revivalism and the Rejection of
the West
– Radical reform
• Sharia law
• opposition suppressed
• women more restricted
– War with Iraq
• 1988, peace
South Africa: The Apartheid State
and Its Demise
• Nationalist Party
– Afrikaner
• 1948 elections
• Afrikaner rule
• Independence, 1960
• Apartheid
– complete separation
– African National Congress outlawed
– Walter Sisulu, Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko
South Africa: The Apartheid State
and Its Demise
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Opposition, 1960s
Economic, political pressure, 1980s
F.W. DeKlerk
Mandela freed, 1990
Elections, 1994
– Mandela president
Comparisons of Emerging Nations
• Patterns
– some reflect traditions
– depends on continuity of native culture