Decolonization: the Underlying Factors Powering It
Decolonization: The Underlying Factors Powering It.
Decolonization is the process of removing, reversing, and/or reducing the ties binding a dependent Territory to a foreign power. While decolonization has been an ongoing process since at least the actions of the American Revolutionary war, the term is most often used in connection with the period following WWII. But why does the period of 1945 through 1975 see so many Neo-Imperial empires fall? Moreover why is the period from 1914 through 1975 as a whole characterized by the disassembly of Empires? The easy answer is the turmoil of two World Wars and a massive Economic Depression, however while that is true they are only the impetus for three more important factors. These three factors are: 1.) the economic concerns of two massive wars and a Great Depression; 2.) a series of home-grown Nationalism movements; and 3.) the political interests of two World Powers (US vs. USSR). These factors not only encouraged economic freedom and cooperative action against the colonizers, but made continued colonization an unattractive option to most powers.
Nothing is as unattractive as continued expense for little gain. Prior to the First World War most Empires enjoyed a significant economic boost from their colonies. During the Great War the colonies acted as reservoirs of both resources (ammunition, rubber, funds) as well as natives to press into military service. This changed as several issues came into play. The first problem was the return of those native soldiers and their expectations of colonial independence for service given. The disappointment of those expectations served as a strong backing to growing nationalism.
The second problem was massive costs racked up both in terms of human lives lost and debts raised. As an example Britain paid out an estimated 30 percent of the total cost incurred by the Allied Forces. That would be over 38 billion USD without adjusting for inflation between 1918 and 2013. France did
Decolonization is the process of removing, reversing, and/or reducing the ties binding a dependent Territory to a foreign power. While decolonization has been an ongoing process since at least the actions of the American Revolutionary war, the term is most often used in connection with the period following WWII. But why does the period of 1945 through 1975 see so many Neo-Imperial empires fall? Moreover why is the period from 1914 through 1975 as a whole characterized by the disassembly of Empires? The easy answer is the turmoil of two World Wars and a massive Economic Depression, however while that is true they are only the impetus for three more important factors. These three factors are: 1.) the economic concerns of two massive wars and a Great Depression; 2.) a series of home-grown Nationalism movements; and 3.) the political interests of two World Powers (US vs. USSR). These factors not only encouraged economic freedom and cooperative action against the colonizers, but made continued colonization an unattractive option to most powers.
Nothing is as unattractive as continued expense for little gain. Prior to the First World War most Empires enjoyed a significant economic boost from their colonies. During the Great War the colonies acted as reservoirs of both resources (ammunition, rubber, funds) as well as natives to press into military service. This changed as several issues came into play. The first problem was the return of those native soldiers and their expectations of colonial independence for service given. The disappointment of those expectations served as a strong backing to growing nationalism.
The second problem was massive costs racked up both in terms of human lives lost and debts raised. As an example Britain paid out an estimated 30 percent of the total cost incurred by the Allied Forces. That would be over 38 billion USD without adjusting for inflation between 1918 and 2013. France did
Bibliography: Galbraith , John K. A Journey Through Economic Time: A Firsthand View. Houghton Mifflin, 1995. Print. Sked, Alan, and Chris Cook. Post-war Britain: a political history. Harvester Press, 2007. eBook. Decolonization." International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. 2008. Retrieved April 28, 2013 Stewart, Andrew. Empire Lost: Britain, the Dominions, and the Second World War. Continuum, 2008. Print. Duara, Prasenjit. Decolonization: Perspectives from Now and Then. Routledge, 2003. Retrieved April 28, 2013 Chamberlain, M.E. Decolonization: The Fall of the European Empires. Wiley-Blackwell, 1999. Print. Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3045300536.html