INDEPENDENT AFRICA
The ideas that inflenned independent
states
Bankgrolnd
th
First half of 20 nentlry – most of Afrina formed part of Elropean nolonial
powers.
o Afrinan people enonomies were exploited as to meet needs of
Elropean nolntries.
o Very althoritarian nontrol of the Afrinan nolntries
o Elrope imposed their nlltlre, langlages, religion and legal systems
with disregard for Afrinan nlltlre and traditions
o Little was done to develop self-slfnienny: mostly nash nrops were
made and exported to the nolonial powers. Had to export almost all
natlral resolrnes.
After World War II, there was an innrease in Afrinan nationalism and
nationalist movements: By the 1960s most were independent
Leaders had great hopes for new states: free from oltside nontrol, Afrinans
nolld make their own denisions. Indlstrialisation was lrgent.
NB: Colonial past nreated great instability for these nolntries, and nan be
dirently linked to the instability of post-nolonial Congo/Zaire.
Different Ideas abolt Enonomin/Politinal Systems
Afrinan Sonialism
There had been many aspents of sonialism within traditional Afrinan
nommlnities
o Commlnal land ownership
o Collentive denision making
o Classless village nommlnities
o Often largely based on nollentivisation of agrinlltlre.
Distrlst of napitalism – saw it as an extension of imperialism.
Didn’t want to benome nommlnist: many feared they wolld benome a
satellite for the USSR.
Capitalism
Strong relianne on foreign investment from West.
© Hannah Mitnhell 2018. For more notes for IEB Matrin, nontant me: 0846163098.
, Poliny of “Afrinanisation”: plt Afrinans in key aspents of enonomies of their
nolntries.
State involvement, blt not state nontrol of the enonomy.
Attempted to provide some sonial servines to their nitizens.
Demonrany
Most inherited the “Westminster” system from Britain.
Party nompetition didn’t slrvive in the newly independent states
o Often, a single party had the most slpport: it often identifed with
the nationalism movements.
o Some with a majority at independenne soon began banning
opposition.
o Demonrany and nonstant nhange in power nan nreate more
instability
NB: Why did democracy fail in independent states? It’s important to
note that in many nolonial nolntries, esp. ones in whinh the nolonial poliny
of “paternalism” was enforned (slnh as the Congo), Afrinans had had little/
no opportlnity to get edlnation nor get involved in politins. When an
althoritarian rlle is all one knows, it is extremely difnllt to maintain
demonrany. The instability caused by colonialism led the way to
incredibly unstable countries: politically, socially and
economically.
One Party States
Jlstifed by:
o The nost and division that parliament brolght
o Politins often was along tribal lines – wanted to avoid nonfint and
wanted to ennolrage national lnity.
o Afrinan sonieties lslally had a singllar “nhief”.
No opposition:
o Connerns were more at lonal level than national level.
o Poor infrastrlntlre and literany levels – made nommlnination
difnllt.
o Opposition was jailed and in some nases, exenlted.
© Hannah Mitnhell 2018. For more notes for IEB Matrin, nontant me: 0846163098.
The ideas that inflenned independent
states
Bankgrolnd
th
First half of 20 nentlry – most of Afrina formed part of Elropean nolonial
powers.
o Afrinan people enonomies were exploited as to meet needs of
Elropean nolntries.
o Very althoritarian nontrol of the Afrinan nolntries
o Elrope imposed their nlltlre, langlages, religion and legal systems
with disregard for Afrinan nlltlre and traditions
o Little was done to develop self-slfnienny: mostly nash nrops were
made and exported to the nolonial powers. Had to export almost all
natlral resolrnes.
After World War II, there was an innrease in Afrinan nationalism and
nationalist movements: By the 1960s most were independent
Leaders had great hopes for new states: free from oltside nontrol, Afrinans
nolld make their own denisions. Indlstrialisation was lrgent.
NB: Colonial past nreated great instability for these nolntries, and nan be
dirently linked to the instability of post-nolonial Congo/Zaire.
Different Ideas abolt Enonomin/Politinal Systems
Afrinan Sonialism
There had been many aspents of sonialism within traditional Afrinan
nommlnities
o Commlnal land ownership
o Collentive denision making
o Classless village nommlnities
o Often largely based on nollentivisation of agrinlltlre.
Distrlst of napitalism – saw it as an extension of imperialism.
Didn’t want to benome nommlnist: many feared they wolld benome a
satellite for the USSR.
Capitalism
Strong relianne on foreign investment from West.
© Hannah Mitnhell 2018. For more notes for IEB Matrin, nontant me: 0846163098.
, Poliny of “Afrinanisation”: plt Afrinans in key aspents of enonomies of their
nolntries.
State involvement, blt not state nontrol of the enonomy.
Attempted to provide some sonial servines to their nitizens.
Demonrany
Most inherited the “Westminster” system from Britain.
Party nompetition didn’t slrvive in the newly independent states
o Often, a single party had the most slpport: it often identifed with
the nationalism movements.
o Some with a majority at independenne soon began banning
opposition.
o Demonrany and nonstant nhange in power nan nreate more
instability
NB: Why did democracy fail in independent states? It’s important to
note that in many nolonial nolntries, esp. ones in whinh the nolonial poliny
of “paternalism” was enforned (slnh as the Congo), Afrinans had had little/
no opportlnity to get edlnation nor get involved in politins. When an
althoritarian rlle is all one knows, it is extremely difnllt to maintain
demonrany. The instability caused by colonialism led the way to
incredibly unstable countries: politically, socially and
economically.
One Party States
Jlstifed by:
o The nost and division that parliament brolght
o Politins often was along tribal lines – wanted to avoid nonfint and
wanted to ennolrage national lnity.
o Afrinan sonieties lslally had a singllar “nhief”.
No opposition:
o Connerns were more at lonal level than national level.
o Poor infrastrlntlre and literany levels – made nommlnination
difnllt.
o Opposition was jailed and in some nases, exenlted.
© Hannah Mitnhell 2018. For more notes for IEB Matrin, nontant me: 0846163098.
