Nationalist Movements in Africa
Quote page 726
Movements for Change in Africa
Early 1900s many Africans felt impact of colonial rule
Forced off their land or forced to grow only a certain type or amount of crops
Brit. made Africans carry identification cards and restricted traveling/living
Forced to work on European plantations or mined to earn enough $ to pay taxes
Became increasingly dependent on them
Had to sell most crops to Europe so led to starvation
Resistance
Took many forms
Those who lost land settled illegally on plantations
Formed unions
Rebelled against businesses
Protests
Held outside of businesses
West African women who ran marketplaces threatened British officials with machetes and sticks. British stopped
them by shooting them to death
South Africa
Whites imposed a system of apartheid: racial segregation
To ensure economic power
Blacks pushed to lower paying jobs, had to carry identification cards
Forced to live in crowded reserves, evicted from the best land
No longer able to vote
African Christian churches and newspapers demanded rights
1912 educated blacks organized a political party (African National Congress)
worked through legal means
had no effect on the government
built a framework for later political action
Growing Self Confidence
1920s a movement call Pan Africanism began to help the spirit of the Africans
promoted unity of Africans and people of African descent around the world
Pan African Congress
Led by W.E.B. DuBois (African American writer)
1919 first Pan African Congress held in Paris
wanted to propose a charter of rights for Africans
Europeans ignored this plea but it united African leaders
Egypt
Helped Egypt
During WWI, had to provide food and workers to help Britain
Resistance to Britain came about as war ended
Backed by officials, peasants, land owners, Christians, and Muslims
1922 – Britain declared Egypt independent
troops stayed to guard the Suez Canal
Africa 1945-Present
Since 1945, 50 new nations have been born
Wanted to build strong central governments, growing economies, raise standards of living
Problems: lack technology, drought, natural disasters, political instability, ethnic rivalries
Achieving Independence
Nationalist tide
1945: Britain, Belgium, France, Portugal controlled almost all of Africa
only Egypt, Ethiopia, Liberia, and South Africa were independent nations
great tide of nationalism eventually swept Africa
Impact of WWII
Proved that West could be beaten (Japan wins)
African soldiers who returned from war were recruited to help fight for their cause
Global setting
After war, Europeans were weak militarily, colonies too expensive
Reluctant to hold on to overseas colonies until they could rebuild their power
African nationalism too strong
Introduced new policies towards colonies that would eventually lead to independence
Pressures build up both within and outside Africa
After India won independence from Britain in 1947, all of Africa wanted their freedom
Colonial Powers
British – grant independence first (Ghana, 1957)
Political moves: Development acts pre independence to help transition
French – move ahead with all colonies except Algeria
Algerian conflict (1954-1962) more choices for other French colonies
Increase financial aid
Belgium – surprise you’re free, then quick exit
No preparation
Portugal – resistance, violence until 1974-75
Government (Portuguese) overthrown
Routes to Freedom
All had own stories and leaders
Kenya
British rule
Indirect rule: some natives allowed in government
Mau- Mau – nationalist movement
Nairobi highlands – prime farmland
“white highlands” – whites own it all
“reserves” – reservations for blacks
Early 1940s
Violent rural action – blacks want access to the farmland
Fires mostly
Late 1940s
Secret ceremonies
Aims
Immediate – farmland
Long term – political freedom – education, voting rights
1952 – attacks, arrests, and troops
results: concentration camps – keep the innocent blacks there till trouble is over
loyalists – Kenyans loyal to British, sent out against Mau-Maus
1955 – defeat but…
settlers – blamed for start of war
Jomo Kenyatta, leader of Mau-Mau, 1961
Supported non violent methods to end suppression
However, guerilla warfare erupted when non violence no longer worked
Burned farms, destroyed livestock, attacked settlers
Arrested leader, but makes him a national hero to the people
Kenyatta becomes first president of Kenya
1963 – Kenya becomes independent
’61 – ’63 training period for Kenya by British for independence
Algeria
French rule
Direct rule – no natives allowed in government
White settlement, very European lifestyle, most Catholic
May, 1945 – “Day of Awakening”
Algerians celebrations on the defeat of Hitler
French go out and gun down over 4,000 people (paranoia)
Reforms v. War
French want reform/ Algerians want the French out
Front de Lib`eration Nationale (FLN) – nationalist party
Hide and train until 1954
November, 1954
French just lost to Vietnamese, very weak
FLN located in mountains, begins attacks
August, 1955
Attacks on cities
Turned to guerilla warfare
1958: casualties (huge amounts), disunity (French people are tired of war), and recruits (Algerians
get lots)
1962 Independence
Results: Anti French
No government experience
High Expectations, Dashed Hopes
Over 50 new nations with great hopes
Looked for political and economic development
Many had civil wars, natural disasters, military rule, and corrupt dictators
Standard of living fell, and majority live in poverty
Political “Ideologies”
National identity (change names)
Afro-Marxism – communism
Democracy
Outside influences
Britain – Commonwealth of Nations – everyone work together to benefit everyone
France – (post 1961) – cooperative agreements
(largest aid donor to Africa)
Former USSR – early quest for influence, sale of arms and military assistance (payment)
Afro-Marxist regimes (not Marxist enough)
Not enough aid sent
Racial discrimination
United States – early anti colonists, vs. USSR for influence, access to minerals, open supply lines for oil, trouble spot
intervention: intervene with civil war, aid, etc.
Colonial Heritage
Economic changes
Colonial rulers introduced new crops, technology, and cash economies
Built roads, cities, railroads, harbors
Wanted to link plantations and mines with ships
Exported goods and minerals on roads to help pay for expensive projects (RR)
Political changes
Even when the Europeans left, they dictated how to govern and what law
Saw Africans as children who needed guidance
Africans expected to rule in democratic ways
Education and Health care
Provided by missionaries, not by leaders or government
Only elementary schools, not many secondary schools