LATIN AMERICA AND AFRICAComparing Imperialism ( economic and direct)

Overarching similarities

Both were exploited for land. labor and capital. Both were dominated by Western Powers Both had unstable political, economic and cultural

structures due to warfare Both were geographically fragmented Both will have heavy investment by “Western”

private and public forces Both will have a racist hiearchal social structure

dominated by White Elites Both will have native collaborators. Both will have infrastructures ( canals, railroads,

cities) installed by “Western” powers.

Overarching Differences

Latin America will gain independence While Africa will have direct colonial settlements.

Latin America will be coerced by both U.S and European forces while Africa will have no U.S influence.

The Berlin Conference will create a pattern of territorial acquisition while the Monroe Doctrine will serve just to protect foreign interests.

Latin America will have a history of federalism and constitutionalism by the end of the period while Africa will not.

Europeans look at the scramble for Africa as a “civilizing” and “Christianizing” mission while Latin America is more of an investment opportunity

Latin America had a longer pattern of colonization (1492) while Africa’s colonization happen with the invention of new technologies (quinine, dynamite, railroads, munitions, industrialization)

Berlin conference created political boundaries not in line with tribal, lingual, cultural alliance while political boundaries were already established after Atlantic Revolutions.

Human and the Environment

Resources like precious metals, rubber, gold , coal helped “Western powers” to gain valuable resources for industrialization.

Exploitation of the labor force for the extraction of material wealth was manipulated by “Western Powers” ( Cecil Rhode’s railroad, Panama Canal, King Leopold’s Belgian Congo)

Massive deforestation to clear land for new “European-style” cities and marketplaces

Development of State structures Africa had new colonial settlements in South

Africa (White Settlements with racial laws), King Leopold’s personal colony of the Congo, laws of extraterritoriality were established ( applied only to natives and not Europeans)

All areas (except Liberia and Ethiopia) were under direct European control independence was established in Latin America (Atlantic Revolutions)

Both were strategic military location for competing imperialistic powers.

Economic interactions

Africa’s imperialization was far more exploitative given the feverish climate after the Berlin Conference. Latin American caudillos would broker arrangements with “Western” powers to bring some wealth and economic stability to Latin America.

Africa was often driven to starvation due to the reappropriation of colonial resources to drive Western imperialism at the expense of African populations

Both direct in Africa and Economic in Latin America was the competitive goal of industrialized nations to create a favorable balance of trade through tariffs, protectionism, and market manipulation.

Cultural Interactions

Both established “Western Style” infrastructure like canals (Panama, Suez), railroads, cities(urbanization)

Both establish colonial settlements for booming populations

Both had rebellions or uprisings( Mexican Revolution, Battle of Adowa, Mahdi rebellion)

Christianity was introduced on a grand scale to Africa as part of the “Civilizing mission” ( White Man’s Burden)

Transformation of social structure Class was traditionally race based in both Latin

America and Africa Both utilized the propaganda of social

Darwinism to exploit the land, labor and capital Native (indigenous) culture was not highly

prized by a symbol of “backwardness” and non-civility

Local collaborators often enjoyed some level of social mobility (Caudillos, Banana Republics, Ashanti leaders)

No prior history of enlightenment and ideals in Africa as there had been in Latin America

Conclusion

Although Africa would become one of the last territories to become imperialized, the exploitative nature would have negative and brutal consequences while Latin America’s 500 years of exploitation would diminish with some degree due to the Atlantic Revolutions. The “open veins” which were bled at the expense of Latin America and Africa came to benefit “Western Powers” to the degree where it became a policy which would , ultimately, lead to global war.