Home / Summaries / A Concise History of the World Since 1945 / colonies-independence-africans

The end of empire and the problem of neocolonialism - Africa's hope and misfortune

8 important questions on The end of empire and the problem of neocolonialism - Africa's hope and misfortune

When did Africa got captured by Western powers?

Despite its proximity to Europe, the vast African continent had remained largely outside of the territorial grip of the Western powers until the 1870s.
It occurred only after the end of the nefarious slave trade, when a frenetic "scramble" for Africa was launched by the major European powers.

What was the economic relationship between Africans and Europeans?

Europeans were not prepared to support the use of government funds to improve the quality of life for overseas subjects, especially black Africans.
Instead, millions of Africans were obliged to work for European employers in order to pay taxes that were assessed to fund white-dominated colonial administrators.

How did the Africans secure their independence?

With respect to the number of urban centers, manufacturing base, transportation and communications infrastructure, levels of literacy, and agricultural productivity, the African continent secured its independence in a less developed condition than any other area under European imperial control.

What happened in Uganda?

In the British East African colony of Uganda, a similar collapse of democratic institutions took place soon after independence. A multiparty parliamentary system was adopted in 1962, but efforts to build a sense of national identity among the nation's 19 million citizens and 40 different ethnic groups faltered by mid-decade.

What did Amin do? What mistake did he make?

The mercurial Amin lashed out at British expatriates living in Uganda, and he ordered the expulsion of approximately 30000 settlers from South Asia.
These enterprising Indian migrants constituted the core of Uganda's business and professional community, and with their forced departure the nation's economy went into a tailspin.
Amin ignored the ill effects of his senseless domestic policies, and his tirades against Israel and its American and British allies, together with his coddling of pro-Palestinian terrorists who landed a hijacked Air France plane in the Ugandan capital in 1976, earned him the contempt of the world community.

How did the Belgians and Portuguese deal with their colonies?

Neither the Belgians nor the Portuguese had ever afforded their African subjects any role in the government of their colonies.
The precipitous Belgian withdrawal in 1960 from Congo, the largest state in sub-Saharan Africa, occurred without any genuine preparation and with no clear leadership elite in place to assume power.

How did Portugal go about their colonies?

The reactionary Portuguese government fought doggedly until the mid-1970s to hold onto its colonial possessions in Africa, turning Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, and Angola into battlegrounds with distinct Cold War components.
As one of the poorest countries in Western Europe after World War II, Portugal's strongman, Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, clung to African empire as a sign of national prestige and as a source of products such as tea, coffee, and sugar that helped to balance the Portuguese national budget.

When did independence happen in the Portuguese colonies?

Independence was secured in all three colonies by 1975, but as in so many other African states factional fighting and ethnic rivalries continued; military conflict in Mozambique between Marxist and Nationalist forces, dragged on until 1992.
In Angola, Marxist fighters were aided by Cuba's Fidel Castro, who sent troops and weapons; in response, South Africa's apartheid government lent its support to a noncommunist rebel movement.

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

A Concise History of the World Since 1945 | 9781352010206 | W M Spellman

View summary

A unique study and practice tool
Never study anything twice again
Get the grades you hope for
100% sure, 100% understanding

Remember faster, study better. Scientifically proven.

Topics that are related to The end of empire and the problem of neocolonialism - Africa's hope and misfortune