THE SCRAMBLE FOR AND PARTITION OF AFRICA
INTRODUCTION
The scramble for and partition of Africa took place in the second half of the 19th century. The term “scramble” meant a great struggle for colonies on the African continent amongst the European powers. The term “partition” means the dividing up of the African continent amongst the scrambling European powers.
The scramble for and partition of Africa was the outcome of the activities of the missionaries, explorers, traders and the chartered companies in Africa.
REASONS BEHIND THE SCRAMBLE FOR AND PARTITION OF AFRICA.
1. Development of capitalism on Europe from industries to monopoly stage in 1870’s this created the demand of;
- New markets
- More raw materials
- Area to invest their capital
- Cheap labour
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Area to dump unemployed white men
2. National prestige
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The possession of colonies was considered as a symbol of greatness and respect. For example Germany and Italy struggled for colonies with the aim of acquiring national prestige.
3. Balance of power
The balance of power was disrupted by Franco- Prussian war of 1870-1871 [was between France and Germany]. Germany rose to power after defeating France and seizing her provinces like Alsace for production of coal and Lorraine for iron. There after France began to scramble for colonies in order to regain its power and compensate for the lost provinces.
4. The growth of European nationalism especially in Germany and Italy in 1870-1871
This was union of various small European states which were ruled by princes into bigger empires. In Germany the unification was made under OTTO VON BISMARK while in Italy was created by VICTOR EMANNUEL.
– This unification made their countries to praise their culture and declared a mission to civilize other cultures hence Germany and Italy rushed to scramble for colonies in Africa.
5. Strategic importance of some areas in the African continent, such as :-
i. Egypt
Was scrambled for by British and France because of the use of the Suez Canal as a short cut and getaway to the British colony of India and the Indian Ocean where France monopolized sugar production.
ii. South Africa
Because the British and the Dutch exploit Gold and Diamonds.
iii. The Congo basin
Scramble for by Belgium, France and also Portugal because of minerals like Gold and Copper.
Navigable Rivers
- Fertile soil for production of rubber
- High population for creation of market labor
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Niger Valley
European powers, French, British and German scrambled for because of navigation, agriculture and high population.
Humanitarian reason
Has been given by European nation’s historians that, they scrambled for the African continent in order to civilize African societies.
6. Balance of power; before 1870 there were stable powers for these European nations especially France and Britain but the balance of power destructed or disturbed by the Franco-Purssian war of 1870-71 when Germany defeated France and took Alsaceand Lorraine. So through that Germany became stronger instead of France which immediately began to scramble for colonies in order to regain its power compensate for the lost provinces.
Other reasons
7. Berlin conference; this conference stimulated the scramble for because each power exerted a colony proportionally.
8. Role played by missionaries, explores and traders.
9. Claims to stop slave trade and spread.
Reasons for some areas in Africa to experience more intensive scramble than others.
Through this shows that there were differentareas which were scrambled for by European powers, the reasons for some areas in Africa to experience more intensive scramble than others are as follows:
- Fertile land
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These areas which seemed to have a fertile land like Zimbabwe and some parts of Kenya like the kikuyu highlands experienced more intensive scramble than other areas.
2. Minerals
Minerals also made some areas in Africa to experience more intensive scramble than others; For example South Africa, this region was scrambled by the Dutch(Boers) and the British. The Dutch landed at the cape under the Dutch East India Company in 1962. In 1795 the British conquered the Dutch East India Company at the Cape. After a while the Dutch-Boers migrated Northwards during the Great Boers Trek. Eventually they settled in the Orange Free State and Transvaal. The Orange Free State had diamonds which was discovered in 1867 while Transvaal’s gold was discovered in 1885.
3. Navigable water
Example Suez Canal and Congo Basin are some areas which experienced more intensive scramble. For example the Congo Basin was scrambled for by Belgium, Britain, France and Portugal. And Suez Canal was scrambled for by both the British and the French.
4. Large population
These areas which were having large population also experienced more intensive scramble example Congo basin had high population for markets.
-Therefore the Europeans only scrambled for areas with those characteristics mentioned above. And these areas which were scrambled and eventually partitioned by the Europeans, had economic importance to the European powers.
THE IMPACT OF THE SCRAMBLE FOR AND PARTITION OF AFRICA.
The partition of East Africa become complete in 1890 after the Anglo German Agreement of 1890. therefor, the partition of East Africa brought the following effects.
- It necessitated the calling of the Berlin conference; this shows that after the scramble for and partition it was calling for the Berlin conference which was led by the Germany counselor Bismarck so as to make sure that they divide the African continent peacefully.
- Led to the occurrence of the 1st world war of 1914 because some imperialist nations, the Germany were not satisfied with the number of colonies they had this caused conflicts among the imperialist nations hence occurrence of both the 1st and 2nd world war.
- Dar-es- Salaam and Mombasa became as importation main parts for both British and Germans. However Dar-es- Salaam who custom Headhouse of German.
- From 1890 respectively Zanzibar and Uganda become the British protectorates
- German took Tanganyika with it’s base in Dar-es-Salaam.
- These treaties culminated in the prelude to Colonialism.
- Led to the exploitation of natural resources in East Africa.
- Intensive oppresion and harrassment in East Africa by British and Germans.
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THE BERLIN CONFERENCE [1884-1885]
The Berlin conference was the meeting of European powers which was held in Berlin the capital town of Germany from November 1884 to February 1885 at the invitation of Otto von Bismarck the chancellor of Germany. The conference was attended by the 14 powers, where USA and Denmark attended as an observers.
The meeting was called at the time when Europe was at the stage of monopoly capitalism/imperialism.
The objectives (Goals) of the conference were:
- To solve the Congo and Niger problems.
- Need of Bismarck to diverge France’s interest from France to Africa.
- To develop Africa for imperialism.
- To discuss views from different European nations on how to abolish the slave trade in the African territories.
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The resolutions [agreements] of the Berlin conference [the principles reached were]:
- Principle of notification
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Each power which claimed any part of African territory was required to inform the other European power that had signed the treaty in order to avoid crushes among themselves.
2. Principle of effective occupation or control.
European power which claims to any part of Africa would be recognized by the other powers if it was effectively occupied by such European power lie under this clause. The claimants were supposed to develop the areas through their missionaries trading companies’ explorers starting plantations and other economic activities.
3. King Leopold was allowed to rule Congo, but the Congo river was left to be a free zone for all nations. In this case the basin was an international highway.
4. Freedom of navigation
The conference declared that Congo, the Niger River and other big rivers as free zones for international navigation i.e. Niger River under the authority of Great Britain and Congo River under the authority of Belgium.
5. Abolition of slave trade. Each European power which attended the meeting had to abolish the slave trade in African territory and should further extend its sphere of influence from the coastal regions to the internal land and draw political boundaries.
SIGNIFICANCES OF BERLIN CONFERENCE .
- It resolved the international rivalries that ivoted in areas like Congo, Egypt and Nile.
- It speeded the partition of Africa under the principle of effective occupation.
- The Conference highligtened the unity and degree of cooperation among European powers.
- The Conference opened the interior of African land for colonization.
- it avoided the possibility of the emperior powers to inter into war during the scramble for Africa.
- It led to the setting of colonial boundaries in African Continent.