introduction to colonization and decolonization

8/12/2019 Introduction to Colonization and Decolonization

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Introduction toColonization & Decolonization:Case Studies in Modern Africa and Asia

Colonization in 1945


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Terms

colonialism: one countrys domination of another country or people, usuallyachieved through aggressive actions; involves formal political control of onecountry over anothercolony: the territory acquired, usually through aggressive actionscolonization: the act of colonizing

imperialism: similar to colonialism but used more broadly to refer to politicalor economic control exercised either formally or informally new imperialism: period of European imperialism involving extension offormal political control in Africa and Asia, 1870-1914

decolonization: process of granting independence to a colony; refersparticularly to the period after WWII when European colonies in Africa and

Asia achieved independence


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History of Imperialism Periods:

I. Imperialism before 1450II. Age of European Exploration & Early Modern

European Imperialism (1450-1700)III. European Merchant Empires (1700-1815)IV. Imperialism of Free Trade (1815-1870)

V. New Imperialism (1870-1914)

VI. Mandates (post-WWI) & Trusts (post-WWII) VII. Decolonization (1945-1970) VIII. Modern Economic Imperialism & Neocolonialism


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I. Imperialism before 1450

one state attempts to dominate all othersthrough unified system of control

new territories usually adjacent or nearlyadjacent to imperial center


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Alexander the Greats Empire,320 B.C.


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Roman Empire, 117 C.E.


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Mongol Empire, late 1200s


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Ottoman Empire, 1300-1699


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Aztec Empire, 1400s-1521


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II. Age of European Exploration EarlyModern European Imperialism (1450-1700)

emerging European nation-states compete forpolitical and economic power drivesexploration of and expansion into new lands

extension of formal political control overterritories

new territories typically overseas in S and SE Asia and New World


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Why?

ECONOMIC/POLITICAL POWERdesire for products

mercantilism control trade ofcolonies in order to reap benefitstrade as war


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Trading Companies

British East IndiaCompany (1600)

Dutch East IndiaCompany (1602)

Dutch West IndiaCompany (1621)


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Why?

GOD (i.e. RELIGION)


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Who?

1. Portugal (1415)2. Spain3. Netherlands, England, France


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In 1492 .

Columbus sailed theocean blue


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and the lucky guy ran into a giant heap ofdirt in the way of his targeted destination.

Result: Spain builds a colonial empire in the

so-called New World.


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Going back a bit to 1488 Bartholomeu Dias reaches the Cape of Good Hope

[And 518 years later, so did I!]


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And in 1498

Vasco da Gama rounds the southernmost tip of Africa...

and reaches India via the sea

Cape Agulhas


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Spanish Empire in 1770


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Dutch Colonies, 17 th c.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/DutchEmpire.png


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British Colonies in North America,1763-1775
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/32/British_colonies_1763-76.jpg


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French Colonial Empire

Keylight blue = first empire of 1600s-1700s;

dark blue = second empire, built after 1830
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/France_colonial_Empire10.png


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3 world systems

North Atlantic

South Atlantic

IndianOcean


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North Atlantic system

regions: Western Europe, Russia, the Baltic,Scandinavia, Newfoundland, Canada and

northeastern USAcolonial powers: French, Dutch, Englishmain products: timber, fish, fur


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South Atlantic system

regions: South and Central America, Brazil,Caribbean, West Africa, southeastern USA

colonial powers: Spanish, Portuguese,Englishmain products: silver, sugar, tobacco,

African slaves, cotton


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Indian Ocean system

regions: South and Southeast Asia, East Africa

colonial power: Britainmain products: spices, silk, other luxurygoods


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IV. Imperialism of Free Trade(1815-1870)

extension of informal influence (namelyeconomic) rather than asserting formal

political control

driven by capitalismproduct of Industrial Revolution(begins in Britain ca. 1780)

Adam Smiths Wealth of Nations (1776)


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The sun never sets on the British Empire.


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V. New Imperialism(1870-1914)

states resume extending formal politicalcontrol, not just economic or diplomatic

influenceterritories acquired in Africa and Asiastill driven by capitalism


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Imperialism in Africa, 1914


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Imperialism in Asia, 1914


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VI. Mandates (post-WWI)Trusts (post-WWII)

League of Nations mandates transferredcontrol of German and Ottoman colonies

to WWI victorsUnited Nations Trust Territories successors to mandates when UN replaced

League of Nations in 1946colonial power required to set target date fortrusts independence


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League of Nations mandates in Africa,the Middle East, and the Pacific


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VII. Decolonization(1945-1970)


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VIII. Modern Economic ImperialismNeocolonialism

economic domination: the domination by a powerful,usually Western nation of another nation that is

politically independent but has a weak economy greatlydependent on trade with the powerful nation

introduction to colonization and decolonization

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