GGH2601
Assignment 1 Semester 2025
Unique number: 649301
Due Date: 25 March 2025
This document includes:
Helpful answers and guidelines
Detailed explanations and/ or calculations
References
Connect with the tutor on
+27 68 812 0934
,© Study Shack 2024. All rights Reserved +27 68 812 0934
, QUESTION 1 (2 ANSWERS PROVIDED)
Introduction
The colonial period in Africa, primarily characterized by the scramble for
Africa, deeply influenced the continent's social, economic, and political
structures. The partitioning of the continent by European powers and the
establishment of exploitative colonial systems have had long-lasting effects on
African nations. This essay explores the economic and social implications of
colonialism on Africa's development, focusing on how colonial policies shaped
the continent's economic systems, cultural dependencies, and social
structures. Additionally, it highlights the lasting legacies that continue to
influence Africa's post-colonial development trajectory.
Economic Implications of Colonialism
The Creation of Dual Economies
One of the most significant economic legacies of colonialism in Africa was the
establishment of dual economies, which still affect many African nations
today. The colonial powers created an economic structure where two distinct
sectors operated alongside each other. The modern sector, primarily geared
towards the extraction of raw materials such as minerals (gold, copper,
diamonds) and cash crops (coffee, tea, cocoa), was designed to serve
European interests. On the other hand, the traditional sector was dedicated to
producing food crops (millet, maize, and yam) for local consumption (Rodney,
2017). The imposition of this dual system left African economies dependent
on European markets, stunting the growth of local industries and causing
economic fragmentation (Davidson, 2016).
The creation of dual economies also meant that the indigenous African
population became increasingly marginalized from economic activities. While
the modern sector relied on exploitative systems like forced labor and
taxation, the traditional sector was left underdeveloped, weakening Africa's
capacity to establish a self-sustaining economy. This economic dependency
on Europe left the continent vulnerable to global market fluctuations and
undercut the potential for industrialization (Yeboah, 2018). The persistence of
© Study Shack 2024. All rights Reserved +27 68 812 0934
Assignment 1 Semester 2025
Unique number: 649301
Due Date: 25 March 2025
This document includes:
Helpful answers and guidelines
Detailed explanations and/ or calculations
References
Connect with the tutor on
+27 68 812 0934
,© Study Shack 2024. All rights Reserved +27 68 812 0934
, QUESTION 1 (2 ANSWERS PROVIDED)
Introduction
The colonial period in Africa, primarily characterized by the scramble for
Africa, deeply influenced the continent's social, economic, and political
structures. The partitioning of the continent by European powers and the
establishment of exploitative colonial systems have had long-lasting effects on
African nations. This essay explores the economic and social implications of
colonialism on Africa's development, focusing on how colonial policies shaped
the continent's economic systems, cultural dependencies, and social
structures. Additionally, it highlights the lasting legacies that continue to
influence Africa's post-colonial development trajectory.
Economic Implications of Colonialism
The Creation of Dual Economies
One of the most significant economic legacies of colonialism in Africa was the
establishment of dual economies, which still affect many African nations
today. The colonial powers created an economic structure where two distinct
sectors operated alongside each other. The modern sector, primarily geared
towards the extraction of raw materials such as minerals (gold, copper,
diamonds) and cash crops (coffee, tea, cocoa), was designed to serve
European interests. On the other hand, the traditional sector was dedicated to
producing food crops (millet, maize, and yam) for local consumption (Rodney,
2017). The imposition of this dual system left African economies dependent
on European markets, stunting the growth of local industries and causing
economic fragmentation (Davidson, 2016).
The creation of dual economies also meant that the indigenous African
population became increasingly marginalized from economic activities. While
the modern sector relied on exploitative systems like forced labor and
taxation, the traditional sector was left underdeveloped, weakening Africa's
capacity to establish a self-sustaining economy. This economic dependency
on Europe left the continent vulnerable to global market fluctuations and
undercut the potential for industrialization (Yeboah, 2018). The persistence of
© Study Shack 2024. All rights Reserved +27 68 812 0934
