Decolonization in Asia & Africa

Outline
• Introduction
• Historical Background
• Decolonization in Africa
• Decolonization in Asia
• Conclusion
 Introduction
• By the mid-20th century, after the SWW many
regions in Africa, Asia & the Middle East had
“freed” themselves from European Imperial
dominance.
• Decolonization is the term historians have used
to describe this process.
• At the time of UN establishment, its members
were around 50 and now its 193, largely due to
decolonization.
 Introduction
• There was surge of anti-colonial nationalism
after 1945.
• The outcome was threefold;
i. European withdrawal,
ii. Revolutions overthrew Europeans and
iii. Non-violent Independence Movements.
 Introduction
• Some of the causes of Decolonization were;
i. Education & information acquired by Afro-
Asians.
ii. World Wars
iii. Afro-Asians questioned European superiority,
iv. War in the colonies and Nationalism.
v. Many different African and Asian groups
used a variety of ways to gain independence.
 Introduction
• Results of decolonization were regions of the
world became “independent”;
• New nation-states were born,
• Problems remained or were they caused by
European imperialism,
• Economic dependency on the West and other
regions of the world.
 Introduction
• The indigenous elite often replaced the
colonial elite maintaining a large gap between
rich and poor.
• Tribal, racial, religious differences led to
conflicts & wars such as;
i. Civil War in Nigeria,
ii. Tribal-based genocide in Rwanda and
iii. Civil War in Vietnam.
 Introduction
• Process of Decolonization and Nation-
Building started after the Second World War.
• There was surge of anti-colonial nationalism
after 1945.
• Leaders used lessons in mass politicization and
mass mobilization of 1920’s and 1930’s.
 Historical Background
• Three patterns were there in this process,
i. Civil war (China),
ii. Negotiated independence (India and much of
Africa)
iii. Incomplete de-colonization (Palestine).
 Historical Background
• In 1931, British Statute of Westminster
converted the British Empire into the British
Commonwealth and also allowed varying
degrees of autonomy.
• In 1941 Atlantic Charter was written by
Roosevelt and Churchill affirming all nations
the right self determination.
 Historical Background
• By the end of WWII, colonialism seemed to
contradict the spirit of the Allies fight against
Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.
• Over 200,000 Africans had fought in Europe
and Asia for the Allies’ freedom and
democracy – most noticed the contradiction.
 Historical Background
• In 1945, the 5th Pan African Congress met
discussed the prospect of independence.
• It was attending by a number of leaders who
would eventually lead their nations to
independence.
• In the years immediately after the war, several
colonies had achieved independence or were
on the road to independence in north and east
Africa.
 Historical Background
• After the end of Second World war there
started a new pan-African nationalism that
would spread throughout continent.
• In 1960 the United Nations General Assembly
passed Resolution 1514 that supported the end
of colonization.
 Decolonization in Africa
• In response to war-time promises made to
Africans in exchange for their military service,
which never materialized,
• Africans began to organize pan-African
organizations to support the cause of African
unity again the foreign presence.
• Most of African Independence would be
achieved well after WWII, but the movements
themselves began during the inter-war period.
 Decolonization in Africa-North
• Immediately after WWII, France attempted to
reassert dominance in colonies.
• The French saw violent reactions to actions in
Tunisia and Algeria.
• Instead of rejecting Africa, France embraced
French nationalism in Africa.
 Decolonization in Africa-North
• Africans who learned French and French
culture experienced semi-equal status with
citizens in France.
• Though limited, the French colonies were
given representation in French parliament in
the Fourth French Republic in 1947.
 Decolonization in Africa-North
• Despite advantages, most nationalists still
sought independence.
• Unlike other African colonies, Algeria was a
settler’s colony with almost one million French
immigrants.
• Clashes between white settlers and Africans
would result in the death of thousands before
independence was gained.
 Decolonization in Africa-West
• Interaction with Europeans date back to the
1400s.
• West Africans had adopted many elements of
western civilization.
• Early ties allowed more opportunities for
education and modernization.
• Nationalists in West Africa drew from their
own history and western influences.
 Decolonization in Africa-West
• As a result, independence in West Africa was
more “natural” for both the Africans and the
European powers.
• Once the Ghana (formerly the Gold Coast)
became the first republic in West Africa,
• The movements in neighboring British and
French colonies intensified
 Decolonization in Africa-South
• South Africa gained independence from
Britain in 1910.
• White minority dominated political and
economic institutions.
• Educated Africans began organizing
movement to gain power.
• The African National Congress (ANC) tried to
reason with government.
 Decolonization in Africa-South
• In 1960, after an African riot, the government
instituted strict measures to formally separate
the races in South Africa through a system
known as apartheid.
• Nelson Mandala was successful in his
movement against white superiority and
established his Government.
 Decolonization in Africa-Central
• The colonies in central Africa were far less
prepared.
• Education opportunities for Africans were
severely limited.
• In the Belgium Congo fewer than 120 Africans
had a college education.
• In 1956 Belgium had only vague 30 year plan
for the Congo’s independence.
 Decolonization in Africa-Central
• By 1960, the Belgians had turned control over
to the Patrice Lumumba, who became PM.
• There were secessionist movements in Congo.
• When Lumumba failed to get assistance from
the West, he turned towards USSR.
• In order to avoid communist Congo, USA
encouraged General Joseph Mobutu to take
control.
 Decolonization in Asia-Turkey
• After WWI, the Ottoman Empire disappears
from history.
• The Allies were intent to carve up Turkish
land, and distribute amongst themselves
(particularly Greece and Italy).
• By 1923, Mustafa Kemal, Ataturk organized
the push to drive the Greeks from the Turkish
homeland.
 Decolonization in Asia-Turkey
• Ataturk founded Turkey based on these six
principles;
• Republicanism(based on the premise that
sovereignty belongs to the people).
• Turkish Nationalism (emphasizing the glories
of the Turkish past and the need for the Turks
to build their own state according to modern
principles and without foreign intervention).
 Decolonization in Asia-Turkey
• Populism (the idea that the people ruled
through the Grand National Assembly, with all
economic and social interests represented).
• Secularism (dictating complete separation
between the Muslim religious establishment
and the state).
 Decolonization in Asia-Turkey
• Statism (meaning state intervention in major
sectors of the economy and its control of the
rest, so as to assure rapid economic
development)
• Revolutionism (dictating that all these
changes be instituted at once and in full so that
Turkish society could develop as rapidly as
possible).
 Decolonization in Asia-Palestine
• In 1917, after WWI, Lord Balfour of Britain
announced that his government would promote
the establishment of Jewish Homeland in
Palestine after the war.
• Britain received a League of Nations mandate
in 1922 to control Palestine.
• These promises seemed as a double-betrayal
by the Entente Powers to Arabs.
 Decolonization in Asia-Palestine
• Rising Arab opposition to the emigration of
Jews to Palestine caused the British to severely
curtail their support of the Balfour promises.
• Zionist leaders begin to mistrust the British.
Encourages Zionist leaders to build up their
own defenses against the rising Arab
resistance.
• Palestinian needs and desires were not voiced
through strong leadership in the coming years
 Decolonization in Asia-India
• After World War 1 Britain refused to honor
wartime promises hence Khalifat Movement
started.
• It was first ever organized movement against
the colonial power which ended without
achieving its objective.
• However the Hindus and Muslims were
divided to the benefit of colonial power.
 Decolonization in Asia-India
• The beginning of World war two created
cleavage between the British rulers and
congress ministries, as India was declared at
war without taking the ministries into
confidence.
• Consequently Congress Ministries resigned
and subsequently Quit India Movement was
started by the Congress and the Muslim
League was in favor of 'divide and Quit'.
 Decolonization in Asia-India
• At the end of British government was in no
position to maintain colony India therefore
independence of India and Pakistan in 1947.
 Conclusion
• It is concluded that decolonization started after
the Second World War and many Asian and
African countries got independence.
• The Two World War weakened the colonial
powers and intensified independence
moveemnts.
• The Cold War gave impetus to decolonization
as communist block was an option for the
colonies.