colonialism and africa
Colonialism is the establishment and maintenance, for an extended time, of rule over an alien people that is separate from and subordinate to the ruling power, Colonization is the control or governing influence or acquiring full or partial political control over another country. Occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically. With these in mind, this paper aims at describing how colonial occupation has brought a modern economy and modern state system of governance which has been good but has left more harmful effects. These essay aims to further discuss the good things colonialism has brought and on the other the bad sides it has brought. This academic paper will also go on further to come up with concrete but brief conclusion.
One of the paradoxes of the modern political economy of Africa is the cleavages to vestiges of colonialism long after the colonialists have left and the African has been in control of his affairs. Arguably, new forms of colonialism have emerged where the former colonialists still hold the strings of development of some sovereignties. Naturally, in the new geo-political climate as the world is experiencing today there is no doubt that issues of national interests will conflict among nations, in fact they have always been, and owing to close links often forged between the colonies and their colonizing masters, these conflicts tend to be more pronounced among them. But that is no reason to believe that colonialism must forever hold the key to Africa’s development or that it should forever be the bane for the continents under development. Unfortunately, in many African countries the problem appears to be the will of the leaders to leave behind the trappings of colonialism and develop a new vision for their countries and peoples. The role played in many of these countries by the generation of leaders who led the continent to independence and the visions they had for modernizing the continent and to forge closer unity among the
One of the paradoxes of the modern political economy of Africa is the cleavages to vestiges of colonialism long after the colonialists have left and the African has been in control of his affairs. Arguably, new forms of colonialism have emerged where the former colonialists still hold the strings of development of some sovereignties. Naturally, in the new geo-political climate as the world is experiencing today there is no doubt that issues of national interests will conflict among nations, in fact they have always been, and owing to close links often forged between the colonies and their colonizing masters, these conflicts tend to be more pronounced among them. But that is no reason to believe that colonialism must forever hold the key to Africa’s development or that it should forever be the bane for the continents under development. Unfortunately, in many African countries the problem appears to be the will of the leaders to leave behind the trappings of colonialism and develop a new vision for their countries and peoples. The role played in many of these countries by the generation of leaders who led the continent to independence and the visions they had for modernizing the continent and to forge closer unity among the
References: Ekechi Felix (2006), the Consolidation of Colonial Rule. Durham, Carolina Academic Press. Iweriebor Ehiedu (2002), the Psychology of Colonialism. Durham, Carolina Academic Press, 2002. Mannoni Dominique (2001) the Psychology of Colonization. Praeger, London. Melber Henning (2002), Liberation without Democracy, Flaws of Post-Colonial Systems, Berkley, University of California Press. Oyebade Adebayo (2002), Colonial Political Systems. Durham, Carolina Academic Press. Skalnik, P (1996), Authority Versus Power: Democracy in Africa Must Include Original African Institutions. New York, Octagon Print. Stilwell Sean (1997), the Imposition of Colonial Rule. Durham, Carolina Academic Press.