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Colonialism in africa
At the Early of 18th century after industries revolution in Europe many Europeans came to Africa searching for cheap labour, marketing of the goods, finding the raw materials, and the area for the investment, hence colonialism started.
Since colonialism involves the rule or taking of territory of one people by another and without their consent, many people believe that the worst effect of colonialism is the fact that a country, takes land rightfully belonging to natives without any consent, and generally mistreating the natives afterwards. Though whether or not this is the worst effect or not can be contended, it definitely plays a major role in the debate of colonialism. During the Colonial period Tanzania for example has had many benefits in terms of infrastructure at the expense of the population.
In definition colonialism is the situation where by the strong country control the weak country in socially, economically, and politically normally these strong country introduce little benefits or not to the weakest so as to get more from them, such they doing is like introduction of education which based on the their side, example they introduce their culture, example adoption of the Western culture in Africa. Also these strong country they introduce crops which benefit them, example cash crops , sisal introduced in Africa by German. Due to all above, it shows that the colonialism in Africa was, due to the following points.
Exploitations of African natural resources such as Minerals, which made African to be poor and to depend more in Europeans.
Oppressions of Africans and discrimination of Africans such as race discrimination, this was mostly operating in South Africa at Soweto.
Also importation of the colonialism in Africa societies led to the following, Intensive Exploitations i.e. Land alienation, where Africans forced to live unfertile soil and the good and fertile soil remained by the colonialist, Forced labour, this is that African forced to work in Europeans large plantation and mine with little resting or not , Apart from the above the introduction of the principal and the laws of obtaining the cheap labour in the plantation would made Africans to be more exploited, this is that the working class were provided the card so as to be identified if they worked and those who are not they worked yet, a good example is Kenya which was called Kipande system this system was introduced by the British.
Low wages, here African did hard work which were could not resembles with the wages paid too, Also the colonialist introduce many taxes so as to exploiting the African, these taxes were introduce so as to make Africans to work in the colonialist ,example of such taxes were Hart taxes, kettle taxes, and the head taxes, also Colonialist introduce the Migration labour where the Africans were taken from the low or unproductive areas to the productive areas to work in the plantations and mines, for example in Europe and America, due to this migration it caused loss of manpower in Africa.
Low price of the African Product also made them to be more exploited, that is African goods were sold in very low price which could not even satisfy their personal and the family needs, so due to this African they were themselves engaging in White activities. Similarly to this there were unequal exchange, that is African were exchanging the minerals, ivory which were exchanged by the spoon, cups low grade cloth and beads. Etc.
Colonialism also brings the layer between the Africans people that is those who are were benefit from the colonialist toward those who were not, due to this it create no unity among the people s of the African as well as the people within the country, hence due to this it bring instability in the country, example the conflict of the land in Kenya.
Also due the colonialism destruct totally Africa culture, this is that many African forgotten their culture and behave like European, people they don’t know they tradition language, food and to live, instead they speaking, dressing eating like European, hence due to this it demoralize the African people especially the youth. Because of wearing it make the people to be more attracted in sexual practice hence more spreading of HIV AIDS.
Despite of the above negative effect but also the colonialism bring some few positive effect, that is during colonialism there was the distribution of the social service, this is that, there is construction of infrastructure, schools and the hospitals which are used up to day, example university of Dar es salaam and many other building in South Africa and other area in Africa. Also the innovation of European religion and education brings some changes which benefit African, these education eliminate some bad culture practices and hence make African to match with the Globalization, example the use of Computer, car, and other machines. Apart from these, colonialism leads much development in the economic sector such as Agriculture, and mining sectors, the use modern tools and methods of cultivation, such as Tractors.
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