Colonial economy was introduced in order to increase production distribution and consumption of material wealth.
Colonial economy in Africa was introduced due to the industrial revolution in Europe which led to a need for raw materials, markets, areas of investment and labourers.
In order to solve those problems, Europeans established five economic activities such as agriculture, mining, industry, trade and infrastructure.
Colonial economy had several features which differ from the pre-colonial economy in the following ways:
1.Colonial economy was export oriented (e.g. production of cash crops, mineral.
2. It was exploitative in nature,that is Africans were highly exploited.
It went hand in hand with alienation of Africans (Africans were alienated from their land which was used by the Europeans).
3. Colonial economy used forced labour (in areas where colonial rulers opened projects).
Colonial economy was a cash economy that is, exchange was done on monetary terms.
4. It went together with the use of high capital in opening of economic activities like agriculture, mining etc.
Colonial economy involved small scale and large-scale production.
5. It went together with introduction of tax. This tax went to the colonial government.
Analyse critically the tactics used colonialist to break down Africa traditional economy
Establishment of colonial economy in Africa
In establishing colonial economy Europeans used different methods:
1. Creative
2.destructive
3. preservation.
a. Creative
Colonial rulers introduced new modes of production in Africa such as:
1. The introduction of a cash economy, exchange took place through cash.
2. Introduction of land alienation where European took fertile belonging to Africans.
Colonialists introduced large-scale farms e.g. tea plantations and settler farms in Africa.
3. Africans were forced to pay tax in cash to the colonial government.
4. It went together with the construction of infrastructure for the benefit of colonial powers.
5. Africans were forced to work in colonial projects.
b. Destructive
Colonial power tended to be destructive to Africa:
1. Colonialism destroyed African local industries in order to gain market and labourers.
2. Colonial governments tended to destroy African culture e.g. initiation ceremony. This was done to obtain cheap labour.
3. Distruction of africa culture
4. Distruction of Africa trade
c. Preservative
1. Colonial governments preserved peasant economy in some are
as e.g. in Uganda, West Africa etc.
2. African mode of production was allowed to continue e.g. Feudalism in Uganda and primitive communal mode of production in other areas
Qn. Explain why colonial governments used peasant economy in West Africa and Uganda.
Colonial governments continued production using the peasant economy on a small scale. This was due to the following factors:
-Africans had experience growing cash crops such as palm oil, cotton while Europeans did not. Hence they allowed Africans to continue producing.
-The system was cheap and the cost of production was covered by the peasants.
-It was due to negative response from the Africans while some societies resisted the introduction of plantation farming e.g. in West Africa.
-It was simple to force Africans on production e.g. basing on quality of productions for instance in Sukuma Land each family was required to produce two acres of cotton.
-Europeans were unable to live in some areas with tropical climates as they feared tropical diseases. Therefore, Africans were left to continue with production in these areas.
-The system helped colonial governments at large with selling cash crops. Africans were required to contribute on the construction of roads and others social services.
-Some areas had high populations e.g. in West Africa, hence it was not possible to alienate all of them from their land.
Qn Show how settlers were favoured in Kenya and Southern Rhodesia.
-Settlers were given capital by the colonial government through loans.
-Colonial governments built social services in areas with settlers such as hospital, roads, schools to attract more settlers to Africa.
-Settlers were favoured in the pricing of cash crops compared to peasants (crops from the settlers were bought at a higher price).
-Colonial governments tended to force Africans to work on settlers’ farms, it helped increase production due to availability of labour.
-Colonial governments favoured settlers through the use of the Land Act. In 1919 the Crown Lands Act helped settlers obtain land in Kenya.
-Africans were restricted from growing the same type of cash crops produced by settlers e.g. in Kenya. Africans were restricted from growing coffee, this benefited settlers in marketing their product.
Qn Explain the role of colonial infrastructure during colonial period
In order to develop economic activities in Africa, colonial governments built infrastructure like roads, railway houses. Roads and railways were built from the interior all the way to the coast to make exportation and importation of goods easy.
Role of infrastructure
-Roads and railways were used to carry raw materials from the interior ready for export.
-They carried immigrant labours to areas of production e.g. Kigoma – Dar es Salaam railway was built for that purpose.
-To carry administrators and military troops from one area to another.
-To transfer manufactured goods
from the harbour to the interior.
Qn 57. wha were the impact of the establishment of various sectors of colonial economy on Africa
Colonial economy in Africa had both positive and negative effects for Africans.
-Africans inherited infrastructure from the colonial governments e.g. roads, railways, that were used for carrying goods and labourers.
-After the independence of African countries nationalisation of plantations, buildings wich were under the colonial governments were now under the African states.
-It led to the introduction of new varieties of crops from outside e.g. varieties of cotton from America, and coffee.
-Africans inherited European economic plans which continued to be used after independence e.g, the treatment of labourers.
-Africans were impoverished due to exploitation by the colonial governments.
-African technology declined due to the destruction of local industries.
-Some areas that were known for producing labour were under developed due to rationalisation, e.g Kigoma in Tanganyika.
-Africans inherited capitalist elements from their colonial masters in some areas like Kenya and Zimbabwe.
-It led to Europeans taking natural resources from Africa e.g. minerals, raw materials through an unequal exchange.
Qn 58. Assess the methods used by colonialist to break down pre -colonial tredition economy.
Pre- colonial economy - this economy was established in Africa before the coming of the colonialist (this economy involved Agriculture or crop production).
During the 19th century Europeans came to establish economic activities in Africa, activities such as mining, trade, agriculture, infrastructure to mentioned a few.
In order to introduce these activities the colonialists used different mechanisms to break up natural economic activities in East Africa.
1.Colonialists started with the destruction of African local industries, Africans were not allowed to work in their industries. Therefore, the local textile, iron-smelting industries in East Africa were destroyed. Examples of destroyed industries are the textile industries of Sukuma land, Buganda and Congo.
2. In addition, the colonialists introduced cash crop production which disrupted food crop production. Colonialists aimed to gain raw materials from the indigenous people. Colonialism introduced land alienation, which led to the decline of indigenous natural economies like crop production.
3. Colonialists also introduced forced labour to provide manpower for their economic activities, this resulted in the destruction of African economies like agriculture and industry.
4. They introduced the following:
Introduction of cash tax.
Introduction of cash (money) economy.
5. Introduction of laws and ordinance e.g. “Kipande” system in (Kenya) and Masters and Native Act 1906 (Tanganyika). Construction of infrastructure in East Africa (helped colonialists to obtain markets, labourers and raw materials while affecting Africans.
Qn 59.Eraborate the ffects of colonial economy to the Africans
Colonial economy in Africa had both positive and negative effects on the African people.
Africans inherited infrastructure from the colonial governments e.g. roads, railways, that were used for carrying goods and labourers.
After the independence of African countries nationalisation of plantations, buildings under the colonial governments started. Buildings, plantations and harbours were now under the African states.
It led to the introduction of new varieties of crops from outside e.g. varieties of cotton from America, and coffee.
Africans inherited European economic plans which continued to be used after independence e.g, the treatment of labourers.
Africans were impoverished due to exploitation by the colonial governments.
African technology declined due to the destruction of local industries.
Some areas that were known for producing labour were under developed due to rationalisation, e.g Kigoma in Tanganyika.
Africans inherited capitalist elements from their colonial masters in some areas like Kenya and Zimbabwe.
It led to Europeans taking natural resources from Africa e.g. minerals, raw materials through an unequal exchange.
Qn 60.Analyse the features of colonial education
This was a type of formal education that was introduced by Europeans in Africa. This education was introduced to benefit the colonial government and not Africans. It went together with the establishment of schools high economic gain areas such as crop production areas.
Features of colonial education
Colonial education has a pyramid shape quality. The number of students who started at lower levels reduced as they went to higher levels.
Schools were built in areas with economic importance, such as the Kenyan highlands which were a prime are for coffee production.
Colonial education was discriminative in nature e.g. there were Asian schools, European schools and others for Africans.
Colonial education was provided to the sons of African chiefs e.g. sons of Jumbes and few daughters obtained this type of education.
Schools were built in urban areas and not rural one because that is where most settlers were.
Education was basically about European culture e.g. training involved the use of foreign languages such as English and French.
Qn 61. Eraborate the impact of colonial education on African societies
It produced educated elites who organised their fellow Africans to fight for independence e.g. J.K Nyerere, Kwame Nkrumah.
Colonial education killed Africans' skills at large, these skills remained in theory.
It produced classes between the educated and those who were not educated
Colonial education led to the destruction of the African culture e.g. on dressing and eating.
Africans began to desire 'White' jobs, education was aimed to make one employable.
Qn .Analyse the tactics used by colonialist to insure constant labour in their colonial.
In order to solve the problem of labour shortage in Africa colonial governments took the following measures:
1. Introduction of forced labour: Colonial governments used coercive force like army and police to force Africans to work in colonial economies. In Tanganyika 1944 about 12,00 labourers were forced to work on sisal plantations.
2. Europeans imported manufactured goods in Africa such as clothes, bicycles that were sold for cash, Africans were required to work to buy such products.
3. Colonial governments introduced tax in the form of cash thus Africans were required to work in colonial economies to earn money to pay tax.
4. Colonial governments registered Trade Unions with the aim of finding labourers e.g. SILABU (Sisal Labour Bureau) in Tanganyika and W.N.L.A. (Witwatersrand Native labour Association) in South Africa.
5.They introduced laws and ordinance e.g. the “Kipande” system in Kenya where Africans were required to have an identity card showing their place of occupation. In Tanganyika there was a Masters and Native Servants Act of 1906
Introduction of land alienation. In Kenya and Zimbabwe Africans were removed from fertile areas and had to work to earn money.
6. Colonial governments introduced rationalisation so some areas were special for labour production e.g. Kigoma, Rukwa and other areas were special for crop production.
7.They introduced colonial education to gain administrators for lower posts in Africa e.g. clerks and messengers which were used on colonial economies and other colonial offices.
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