World Wars and the Rise of Self-Determination

Economically…..

Colonies were vital to the mercantilist system.

Extracted raw materials. Indochina (rubber for France)

Colonies were left in poverty and unindustrialized.

Settler colonies (white dudes, with their families, came and lived) VS. Non-Settler colonies (raw material extraction.)

Education

Schools were built to educate a “few local youth for modern jobs as clerks, nurses, policemen, customs inspectors.”

Direct rule = colonial power directly control colony. (FRANCE)

Indirect rule = Colonial power uses local educated elites to run their local government. (GREAT BRITIAN)

Self-Determination

“The right of a nation or people to determine its own form of government without influence from the outside.”

Liberty

the quality or state of being free (from Colonial power)

the power of choice

World WAR I

Germany lost its’ empire. Colonies transferred to Britain and France.

The Ottoman Empire crumbles and is formed into mandates by the British and the French.

Wilson’s “14 Points” nations should be able to determine their own existence. Colonial troops and peoples expected to repaid for their

involvement in the War. Most were left empty handed. BUT western powers did not intend this “self-

determination” for their colonies.

African Soldiers in WW1

Troops from the 1st Battalion, Nigeria Regiment headed for German Cameroons. IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM

World War II!

Europeans sent men from Colonies to fight who in turn questioned their status and Europe’s supremacy.

Europe’s economy was broken by war. Europe can’t pay to keep their colonies.

Independence movements spring up in Asia, Africa, and Latin Americas.

COLD WAR!

Politics polarized around the USA (Democracy) and USSR (Communism).

Growth of Nationalists and non-aligned nations.

Former colonies view the cold war as a chance to assert independent actions gain $ from the two sides.

War can really do all this?

Lets take a look on how the world wars affected European colonies in Africa…

“Africa: States of Independence-The Scramble for Africa.”

http://youtu.be/CgzSnZidGuU

Methods of Independence

Economic Focus Religious Focus

Violent Protest Peaceful Negotiations

Marxist Socialism Free Market Capitalism

Authoritarian Gov’t Democratic Gov’t

You want to be independent? Now you have some choices to make…

ALSO NOTE!

Almost always educated nationalistic leaders play an active role in independence.

Independence is contagious.

Pan-Africanism = the unity of all Africans and the elimination of colonialism and white supremacy from the continent.

Pan-Arabism = the unity of all Arab peoples and the elimination of colonialism from the Arab world. (Middle East)