Why was Africa colonised in the years 1870-1914?

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Introduction

Before 1870 the African continent was not unknown to the rest of the world. Africans had been trading directly with the Europeans and Americans before 1500. The possible reasons behind colonialism that have been suggested include missionary, technology, and Imperial rivalry.

It is important to try to distinguish between the difference in the terms colonialism and imperialism. They have often been exchanged such that they follow the same meaning. However the English Oxford dictionary definition implies that colonialism is a method of establishing colonies while imperialism is defined as a policy or practice of extending a states rule over other territories.

To remain a great nation or to become one, you must colonise French statesman Leon Gambetta (Joll 10, p.81) Write your Why was Africa colonised in the years 1870-1914? research paper

The interest in Africa had begun long before 1870. The British had a key interest in Egypt while the French had occupied Algeria since the Early 180s. However regardless of the fact that the Europeans had a foot in Africa they still felt the need to set some ground rules for the scramble of her land. This was achieved via the international Berlin Conference during 1884-1885. One of the main reasons behind the conference seemed to be due to be the British occupation of Egypt in 188. This had aggrieved other powers, as they wanted to claim terriorty elsewhere.

The reasons for the colonisation of Africa are vast, as the demand and manner of colonisation varied from country to country.

It has been argued that one of Britains main needs for land in Africa was result of her need to protect India from political threat and secure routes to India. India was the Brightest Jewel in the Imperial Crown (Hobsbawn 1, p.6), which resulted in her being a focal point in the British foreign policy. This seemed to drive the British scramble for Africa during 1880s and 180s. An example of this was the construction of the Suez Canal, which resulted in the formation of a much shorter and safer route to India after 186. Thus Egypt became a great stragertical importance to Britain. Although British occupation of Egypt in 188 had originally been the result to protect investor interest in Egypt, its retention was seen to be due to the fact that it was of vital section to the route to India. The further expansion in Central and East Africa appeared to be the result of British preoccupation with regards to the security of Egypt. Of significant importance was the Upper Nile, as control of this by a rival power would lead to the loss of control of the water supply on which the whole of Egyptian economic life depended.

Germany and Italy need to expand into Africa seem to be a matter of national prestige rather then an economic advantage. During the late 1880s and early 100s Italy was a vastly overpopulated nation. A great number of the Italian citizens travelled abroad to find work. Thus the concept of having an empire in North Africa (Tunisia being less then 100 miles away from Sicily) was seen an opportunity for land in which the Italians could settle, similar to the French settlers in Algeria. However most importantly it provided an opportunity to create a new Roman Empire in terriority that had been once of Ancient Romes richest provinces. The Italian idea was destroyed when the French had obtained a protective over Tunisia in 1881. By 180 the Italians had control in Eritrea and Somaliland. After the Emperor of Ethiopia had denounced his treaty with the Italians, they chose to attack Ethiopia, which lead to there defeat at Adowa. This had lead to a hatred of the idea of colonies in Italy and the embarrassment felt by many Italian people played a significant part in why Mussolini attacked Ethiopia in 15.

The Germans need for African land was not the result of economic requirements but more a sense of dissatisfaction at his position in the world during the end of the 1th century. The colonies Germany obtained in South West Africa and Tanganyika were a symbol to the Germans that had achieved the status of world power. However the Germans associated the construction of a large navy with the acquisition of colonies (an idea held The Kaiser). The building of the navy was seen by many Germans as the only true method of gaining world status since its interest in Africa were mainly in terriority occupied by the British. Although the British were suspicious of the German Navy the Germans saw this as a means of breaking the British worldwide dominance.

After 1870 the French extended her North African, where Algeria had already attracted a number of French settlers, by placing a protectorate over Tunisia in 1881. The French had also played a protectorate over Morocco in 11. The French reasoning behind this was because disturbances on the Algerian border required French action in Morocco as a way to keep order. The French scramble for Africa was comparable to the British in terms of terriorty, but as it was on mainly situated around the lands of the Sahara, it offered little opportunity for French investment.

Throughout the 180s the Anglo-French rivalry in Central Africa was the main theme in the diplomatic relations between the two countries. Part of these relationships involved the French gaining concessions and favourable commercial and frontier agreements from the British, as the British trying to keep as much of Africa open to the greatest possible amount of British trade and influence. Their rivalry came to a head in 188 with a confrontation at Fashoda on the Upper Nile. The conflict arose due to the meeting of a French expedition that was sent across Africa to stake a claim to the territory, with a British force that had just successfully reconquered Sudan. The French realise that to oppose the British in Africa was not there means, unless they had the support of Germany in Europe, the cost of which would be the renunciation of Alsace- Lorraine for good. It was felt that this was far to high a price to pay for any French Government. This stance was further backed by the fact that the French Government never had its publics backing for its quests into Africa. Algeria (a French colony) had a large population of French settlers, and under the Third Republic this was thought of as a part of France rather then a colony. Frances other ally Russia was reluctant to aid the French outside Europe.

It is unfair to assume that the colonisation of Africa did not bring some economic advantage to those European nations that engaged in such adventures. A critic of imperialism, J.A Hobson, (Joll 10, p.7) attributed it to economic pressure. Lenin gave a more controversial analysis suggesting that it be due to the saturation of the European markets. He postulated that the only reason for introducing new industrial markets, (a situation that brought all the great European powers into competition with each other) was through applying a large amount of force to territory. This caused rivalry between the European powers that would therefore lead to war. Although the First World War was ultimately fought over European issues, the hope of European gain played a significant part. However there were ways by which the imperialist movement, before 114, had created an atmosphere in Europe that made the possibly of war an reality. The most important of these seemed to be the colonial rivalries and arms race that accompanied them had significantly altered the ways of the international arena. The imperialist movement is also had thought to have encouraged ideas of racial superiority which along with the concepts of an crude evolutionary theory had created a method of justifying world dominance in terms of colonialism.

Perhaps a more convincing argument relating the need for colonial expansion could be found in the fact, that in the case of Britain, it was a method of overcoming depression. The general idea of British businessmen during the 1880s was that a method of overcoming the overproduction of the Great Depression could be solved by a large export into this unknown land.

The economic advantages brought through colonisation can be seen in the development of technology in the European nations. For example the rubber needed for the internal combustion engine came from the rainforests of the Congo. Copper needed for the new electrical and motor industries were found in Zaire and Zambia. Perhaps the most significant find for imperialist came in South Africa, which became the Worlds greatest gold producer and it also had its far share of diamonds. A consequence of this was to be found in the construction of side railways, the profit from such mines was that vast (perhaps a more telling consequence of the demand for diamonds and gold was the South African War of 18-10.). The demand for vegetable oil in Africa played a role in the development of the soap industry.

The colonisation of African land seemed to be made easier through the presence of technologies such as steamships and railways. The accessible of quinine also decreased the death of European in African tropics. It has been argued that the machine may not have evolved as quick as it did if it had not been used in such expeditions.

In 180 Christian missionaries had barely touched the shores of Africa; but the next forty years saw a complete penetration into the African subcontinent. The influence of the missions in order to gain territory in Africa is unknown, as there was no real quest from missionary headquarters in Europe to gain secular empires. However rivalry between Catholic and Protestant missionaries could easily develop; for example, into rivalry between the French and the British governments.

Conclusion

It is difficult to attribute the colonisation of Africa to one particular reason. The four countries that held the majority of African land have been discussed however there were others such as Belgium (Congo) and Portugal (Mozambique). Each country had its own means and reasons for colonisation which was added by the attitude developed by the people of that country (such as Britain) or hindered such as Italy (after the defeat to Ethiopia) and France (after defeat to the British at Fashoda). There were other benefits to the European natures that colonised Africa such her contribution to European painting (initiated by Pablo Picasso around 107) and to a certain degree the science of Anthropology was developed at a rapid pace. However in weighing up the benefits of colonialism, one must question the effect, as its legacy is apparent in the problems of Africa today (Zimbabwe).

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