To what extent can it be argued that colonialism in Africa had certain positive impacts on the lives...
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Candidate Number: 65165, Unit: POLI21231, Seminar Tutor: Dr Tom Scott-Smith, Word count: 1981, Chosen Question: 2. 'To what extent can it be argued that colonialism in Africa had certain positive impacts on the lives of those affected?’ The individual atrocities, systemic economic exploitation, and the economic and psychological dependency engendered by colonialism have negatively impacted and hampered living standards in Africa. Ferguson (2004:366) makes an understatement in asserting that ‘British imperialism … is not without blemish’. But Ferguson is accurate in identifying that colonialism in Africa has had some positive impacts, on the lives of those affected. However, it is important to reaffirm that any ‘positive impacts’ of colonialism have to be rigorously qualified, because in the context of the overall balance sheet of colonialism, there are very few positive impacts relative to negative impacts. As Walter Rodney (2012:206) asserted ‘it would be an act of the most brazen fraud to weigh the paltry social amenities provided during the colonial epoch against that exploitation, and to arrive at the conclusion that the good outweigh the bad’. Qualified positive impacts include: increased African optimisation within the global trade-system, the development of technological infrastructure, and successful campaigns against pre-existing African health concerns. Mishra (2011) is correct to level criticism at Fergusons’ revisionism for not going ‘far enough to describe’ the atrocities of colonialism and for providing ‘a very selective list’ of atrocities. The atrocities committed by colonials, such as ‘the extermination of ten million people in the Congo’ (Mishra, 2011), mean that the balance sheet of colonialism in Africa is overwhelmingly negative and beyond any comprehensive form of positive redemption, as utterly brutal violence that ruled ‘over the ordering of the colonial world’ (Fanon, 2001:33). In addition, Lenin (1969:84) claimed it was ‘the necessity of exporting capital’ that gave ‘an impetus to the conquest of colonies’. Rodney (2012:25) took this further and claimed that ‘African economies … [were] integrated into the very structure of the developed capitalist economies; and they … [were] integrated in a manner that … [was] unfavourable to Africa’. Thus, ‘the European minority’ (Fanon 35) of colonials were ‘engaged in outright plunder’ (Baran, 1973:274) and colonialism was most saliently characterised by the capitalist incentive of colonials to engage in exploitation, though there may have been some, relatively minor positive impacts occurring concurrently with this capitalist exploitation. In its operation, colonialism prioritises the interests of the colonials and neglects the colonized. As a result of colonisation of the African continent meant that it became entwined in a perpetual cycle of economic dependence on the parasitic Western colonialists, of whose economies; African economies have allowed themselves to form a subordinate component. Finally, psychological dependence is also a vital and overriding negative impact of colonialism. Colonialism was ‘responsible for an important change in the native’ and colonialism seeks to ‘distort’ ‘disfigure’ and ‘destroy’ ‘the past of the oppressed people’ in a mission to ‘drive into the natives’ heads the idea that ‘if settlers were to leave, they would fall back into barbarism, [and] degradation’ Fanon (2001:169). The colonised become dependent psychologically on the colonists and ‘rendered’ ‘marginal to the West’ because the western culture eclipses the ‘oriental’ culture and destroys it (Said in Sylvester, 2014:189). This process of psychological systematic dependency directs the destruction of competing African culture beyond revival so that African indigenous culture is
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Transcript of To what extent can it be argued that colonialism in Africa had certain positive impacts on the lives...
CandidateNumber:65165,Unit:POLI21231,SeminarTutor:DrTomScott-Smith,Wordcount:1981,ChosenQuestion:2.'TowhatextentcanitbearguedthatcolonialisminAfricahadcertainpositive
impactsonthelivesofthoseaffected?’
Theindividualatrocities,systemiceconomicexploitation,andtheeconomicandpsychologicaldependencyengenderedbycolonialismhavenegativelyimpactedand hampered living standards in Africa. Ferguson (2004:366) makes anunderstatementinassertingthat‘Britishimperialism…isnotwithoutblemish’.ButFerguson isaccurate in identifying thatcolonialism inAfricahashadsomepositive impacts, on the lives of those affected. However, it is important toreaffirmthatany‘positiveimpacts’ofcolonialismhavetoberigorouslyqualified,becauseinthecontextoftheoverallbalancesheetofcolonialism,thereareveryfewpositiveimpactsrelativetonegativeimpacts.AsWalterRodney(2012:206)asserted ‘itwouldbeanactofthemostbrazenfraudtoweighthepaltrysocialamenities provided during the colonial epoch against that exploitation, and toarrive at the conclusion that the good outweigh the bad’. Qualified positiveimpacts include: increasedAfricanoptimisationwithintheglobal trade-system,the development of technological infrastructure, and successful campaignsagainstpre-existingAfricanhealthconcerns.Mishra(2011)iscorrecttolevelcriticismatFergusons’revisionismfornotgoing‘far enough to describe’ the atrocities of colonialism and for providing ‘a veryselective list’ of atrocities. The atrocities committed by colonials, such as ‘theexterminationoftenmillionpeopleintheCongo’(Mishra,2011),meanthatthebalance sheet of colonialism in Africa is overwhelmingly negative and beyondanycomprehensive formofpositiveredemption,asutterlybrutalviolencethatruled‘overtheorderingofthecolonialworld’(Fanon,2001:33).In addition, Lenin (1969:84) claimed itwas ‘thenecessity of exporting capital’that gave ‘an impetus to the conquestof colonies’.Rodney (2012:25) took thisfurther and claimed that ‘African economies… [were] integrated into the verystructureofthedevelopedcapitalisteconomies;andthey…[were]integratedinamanner that … [was] unfavourable to Africa’. Thus, ‘the Europeanminority’(Fanon 35) of colonials were ‘engaged in outright plunder’ (Baran, 1973:274)and colonialismwasmost saliently characterised by the capitalist incentive ofcolonialstoengageinexploitation,thoughtheremayhavebeensome,relativelyminorpositive impacts occurring concurrentlywith this capitalist exploitation.Initsoperation,colonialismprioritisestheinterestsofthecolonialsandneglectsthecolonized.Asa resultof colonisationof theAfricancontinentmeant that itbecameentwinedinaperpetualcycleofeconomicdependenceontheparasiticWestern colonialists, of whose economies; African economies have allowedthemselvestoformasubordinatecomponent.Finally,psychologicaldependenceisalsoavitalandoverridingnegativeimpactof colonialism. Colonialism was ‘responsible for an important change in thenative’andcolonialismseeksto‘distort’‘disfigure’and‘destroy’‘thepastoftheoppressedpeople’ inamissionto ‘drive intothenatives’headsthe ideathat ‘ifsettlerswere to leave, theywould fall back into barbarism, [and] degradation’Fanon (2001:169). The colonised become dependent psychologically on thecolonists and ‘rendered’ ‘marginal to the West’ because the western cultureeclipsesthe‘oriental’cultureanddestroysit(SaidinSylvester,2014:189).Thisprocess of psychological systematic dependency directs the destruction ofcompetingAfrican culturebeyond revival so thatAfrican indigenous culture is
CandidateNumber:65165,Unit:POLI21231,SeminarTutor:DrTomScott-Smith,Wordcount:1981,ChosenQuestion:2.'TowhatextentcanitbearguedthatcolonialisminAfricahadcertainpositive
impactsonthelivesofthoseaffected?’
nolongeraviablepathonwhichtopursuedevelopment.Therefore, the individual atrocities, systemic economic exploitation, and theeconomic and psychological dependency that characterize colonialism, meanthat the overall balance sheet of colonialism is inexorably negative. However,wheninspectingcolonialisms’roleinincreasingAfrica’soptimisationforglobaltrade,developingAfrica’stechnological infrastructure,andlaunchingsuccessfulcampaignsagainstpre-existingAfricanhealthconcerns,onecanidentifycertainpositiveimpactsofcolonialism.Thisisbecausethesedevelopmentsarepositivecontributionsthatcanbeattributedtocolonialism,andwhilsttheydonotbaregreat significance relative to thenegatives of colonialism.Theydo, in absoluteterms, represent certain positive impacts on Africa,which are certainlyworthexamining.David Landes (1999:218) argues that ‘secure rights of private property’, and‘stable government’, are components of ‘the ideal growth-and-development’government.Colonialism inmanycases, intended toestablish these featuresofgovernmentinAfrica.Forinstance,Britainestablishedbureaucraciesthatwereinspired by its own domestic law and thus facilitated the colonies ability tocommence tradewith the globalmarket. Ferguson (2004:369) argues thatweshouldn’t ‘underestimate the benefits conferred by British law andadministration’, because it ‘encouraged investors to put their money indeveloping countries’, and these bureaucracies were a ‘seal of good-housekeeping approval’. Mitchener and Weidenmier (2008:1827) assert thatacrosstheglobe,comparativelyspeaking, ‘membershipinanempiremorethandoubledbilateraltradeduringtheageofhighimperialism’.InthecaseofBritishcolonies, the enforced liberal capitalist structures expedited the rate ofdevelopment of African bureaucracy and therefore also expedited the Africancapacity to trade in the global market. Whilst, the terms of trade for Africancolonial countrieswere unequal, the de facto isolation from the global systemwas not of any inherent benefit for African countries. Possession of thebureaucratic foundation for global tradewas a useful development because itgave African countries the option to participate in the global trade system,should,oncefreefromcolonialism,shouldtherebethepoliticalwill.Inaddition,whilstitwouldbeill-informedandrecklesstoclaimthatcolonialismisthebestimaginable way to develop a country when compared to other methods,Frankema and Maijenburg (2011:12) found that when compared to BritishAfrican countries 1880-1965, ‘Asian welfare ratios in the period 1880-1930suggest that wageworkers in Beijing, Shanghai, Canton, or even Tokyo/Kyotoweresignificantlyworseoff’thanwageworkersinnineBritish-Africancountrieswho were employed in the manufacture of goods for export. Although thecolonial termsof tradewereunderwrittenbyexploitativepractices, itcouldbeargued that, in relative terms, the British-African colonial bureaucracy withregards to the terms of global trade, were of relative positive benefit towageworkersaffectedbycolonialismwhencomparedtotheirpeersinAsia.Theextentof thecolonial contribution to technological infrastructure inAfricawas not particularly comprehensive. However, it remains a qualified positiveimpact of colonialism. Ferguson (2004:366) claimed that colonials ‘invested
CandidateNumber:65165,Unit:POLI21231,SeminarTutor:DrTomScott-Smith,Wordcount:1981,ChosenQuestion:2.'TowhatextentcanitbearguedthatcolonialisminAfricahadcertainpositive
impactsonthelivesofthoseaffected?’
immensesumsindevelopingaglobalnetworkofmoderncommunications’,andwhilst‘immensesums’representsanembellisheddescriptionbecauseofthelackof consistently high levels of spending on infrastructure between the variouscolonialpowersandalsobecauseofthesmallrelativespendoninfrastructureincomparisontotheprofitderivedfromusingtheinfrastructure,thescopeoftheimprovements to infrastructure inAfrica shouldnotbeunderestimatedsimplybecauseitwasnotasextensiveasitmighthavebeen.‘90%oftotalrailmileageinSub-SaharanAfricawasbuiltpriortoindependence’and‘colonialrailroadhadlarge, permanent effects in Africa’ (Jedwab and Moradi, 2015:1). Colonialinfrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa was particularly significant because ‘nomoderntransportationtechnologyexistedbefore’andinparticular(JedwabandMoradi, 2015:1). Technological infrastructural improvements in Africa weresignificantbecausetheyreducedtransportcostsandmadenewentireindustriesviable,eveniftheseindustrieswereprimarilyofbenefittothecolonialsandnotthe colonized. For instance, the railways in the Ghanaian colony, made masscocoa production viable for the first time by making ‘’cocoa production forexportmarketsprofitable’(JedwabandMoradi,2012:2).Thebenefitsofcolonialinfrastructure for the colonized were often unintended, Baran (1973:335)claimed that theAfrican layoutof infrastructure, ‘hasbeensuchas to facilitatethe movement of raw materials towards port of exit’, Rodney (2012:209)observedthat‘allroadsandrailroadsleddowntothesea’.Thereforetheplunderthatwassymptomaticofthegrandersystemofexploitativeextractionofnaturalresources by colonials in Africa, must be acknowledged so as to qualify thebenefit of this infrastructure. The infrastructure canbeperceived asbeneficialbut‘itdefieslogictoadmitprofitsfromacolonyinagivenyeartotalledseveralmilliondollarsandtoaffirmneverthelessthatthefewthousanddollarsallocatedto social services in that colony was the money of the European taxpayers’(Rodney,2012:212).Inessence,thepositiveimpactsofcolonialinfrastructureinAfrica on the indigenous populations were not equitable in relation to thebenefits accrued by the colonial nations as a result of their use of theinfrastructure. In addition to this, whilst the blueprints of the infrastructurewere authored by the colonials the actual building of the infrastructure waslargelyundertakenbythecolonizedandtheconstructioncost‘thelivesofmanyconstruction workers (Jedwab & Moradi, 2015:1). Regardless, we should stillacknowledge that the newly founded infrastructure, even if ‘the changes thatoccurred during the colonial era weren’t the result of intention’ (Moradi,2008:27), was still of significant long-term benefit. The legacy of thisinfrastructurecanbeevidencebythecontinuedwideuseoftheformerUgandanrailwayinKenya.Themain success story of colonialism inAfrica in the arena of healthwas theneareradicationofYaws.Meheus(1985:284)upholdsthat‘beforethepenicillinera,prevalence ratesof active clinicalYaws ranged from5.6% inCameroon to30% in Liberia in Africa … [but] the implementation of treatment surveysresulted in a decrease in the prevalence of Yaws to very low levels’. In 1930alone, 103,711 treatments for Yaws were undertaken in Kenya by the Britishcolonial authorities (Dawson, 1987:425). The reduction in the prevalence ofYawsinAfricaisoneofthemostconvincingpositiveimpactsofcolonialism,‘theresults were spectacular’ (Meheus, 1985:284). In addition, Malaria was also
CandidateNumber:65165,Unit:POLI21231,SeminarTutor:DrTomScott-Smith,Wordcount:1981,ChosenQuestion:2.'TowhatextentcanitbearguedthatcolonialisminAfricahadcertainpositive
impactsonthelivesofthoseaffected?’
combatted with significant success. ‘Malaria was curbed by the systematicdestructionofthemosquitoes’swampybreedinggrounds,bytheisolationofthevictims, as well as by the distribution of free quinine’ (Ferguson, 2012:173).However, thesehealth improvements,whilst positive, remainunsatisfactory inthegreatercontext.Forexample,westernresearchinstitutesmainlyfocussedon‘diseases that affected Europeansmost severely… [rather] than… the biggestkillers of Africans’ (Ferguson 2012:174). In addition, colonial healthcare wasprimarilyfora ‘minimummaintenanceoftheworkers’healthwasaneconomicinvestment’ (Rodney, 2012:208). Finally, there have also been allegations thatcolonialmedicinewas also harnessed as a callous toolwithwhich ‘to regulateAfrican lives’ (De Barros & Stilwell, 2003:6). A major illustration of positiveoutcomesofcolonialisminthearenaofhealthisevidencedinSenegal,wherelifeexpectancyrosefrom30.2to39.6from1945to1960(Ferguson,2012:191).Thiscanbeconsidered tobeanobjectivelypositive impactof colonialism.Both thepragmaticandtangiblepositiveinfluenceofcolonialismonSenegalesehealthareclearwhenthisunembellishedstatisticisexaminedonitsindividualmerits.Toconclude,whilstallofthesepositiveimpactsofcolonialismcouldbearguedto be symptoms or by-products of a supreme colonial system of exploitation,they remain valid, when examined with the qualification that the colonialbalance sheet is inexorably weighted towards the negative impacts ofcolonialism. Perhaps the neglect of this important qualification explains why‘Article 4’ of the French Legislate Act, passed by the General Assembly on23/2/2005,which forced teachers in France to ‘acknowledge and recognize inparticular the positive role of the French presence in colonial Africa’, wasparticularlymisguidedandalsowhywaspartiallyrepealedin2006.Thepositiveimpacts of colonialism were minimal and neither were they universal norconsistentlyspreadacrosstheAfricancolonies.Numerousrevisionists,includingFerguson, neglect to consider fully the overbearing negatives of colonialism.Indeedmany also neglect to acknowledge that also the differenceswithin thecolonial powers’ empires in Africa were also vast. For instance, while Franceattempted to roll out freeuniversal healthcare in itsAfrican territories, ‘at theend of five hundred years of shouldering thewhiteman’s burden of civilizing‘Africannatives’thePortuguesehadnotmanagedtotrainasingleAfricandoctorin Mozambique’ (Rodney, 2012:206). Vitally, one must remember the limitedscopeof thepositive impactofcolonialismon the livesof thoseaffected,whencompared relatively to the universal and unexpurgated exploitation ofcolonialism.BibliographyBooks:
1. Baran,P.,(1973)‘ThePoliticalEconomyofGrowth(Pelican)’,UnitedKingdom:PenguinBooksLtd.
2. Fanon,F.,Farrington,C.&Sartre,J.-P.,(2001)‘TheWretchedoftheEarth(PenguinModernClassics)’,UnitedKingdom:PenguinBooksLtd.
3. Ferguson,N.,(2004)‘Empire:howBritainmadethemodernworld’,UnitedKingdom:PenguinBooksLtd.
CandidateNumber:65165,Unit:POLI21231,SeminarTutor:DrTomScott-Smith,Wordcount:1981,ChosenQuestion:2.'TowhatextentcanitbearguedthatcolonialisminAfricahadcertainpositive
impactsonthelivesofthoseaffected?’
4. Ferguson,N.,(2012)‘Civilization:thesixkillerappsofwesternpower’,UnitedKingdom:PenguinBooksLtd.
5. Landes,D.,(1999)‘Thewealthandpovertyofnations:whysomearesorichandsomesopoor’,UnitedKingdom:NewYork
6. Lenin,V.I.,(1969)‘Imperialism,thehigheststageofcapitalism:apopularoutline’,UnitedStates:InternationalPublishersCompany.
7. Roberts,A.,(2007),‘AHistoryoftheEnglishSpeakingPeoplesSince1900’,UnitedKingdom:Phoenix(anImprintofTheOrionPublishingGroupLtd).
8. Rodney,W.,(2012)‘HowEuropeunderdevelopedAfrica’,UnitedKingdom:PambazukaPress.
Chapters:
1. Sylvester,C.,(2014)‘Post-Colonialism’,inBaylis,J.,Smith,S.&Owens,P.,(2014)‘Theglobalizationofworldpolitics:anintroductiontointernationalrelations’,UnitedKingdom:OxfordUniversityPress.
Journals:
1. Dawson,M.H.,(1987)‘The1920sAnti-YawscampaignsandcolonialmedicalpolicyinKenya’,InternationalJournalofAfricanHistoricalStudies,20(3),pp.417-436.
2. DeBarros,J.&Stilwell,S.,(2003),‘Publichealthandtheimperialproject’,CaribbeanQuarterly,49(4),pp.1-11.
3. Meheus,A.(1985)‘IntegrationofYawscontrolandprimaryhealthcare’,Reviewsofinfectiousdiseases,7(2),pp.284-288.
4. Mitchener,K.&Weidenmier,M.,(2008)‘Tradeandempire’,TheEconomicJournal,118,pp.1805-1834
Reviews:
1. Mishra,P.,(2011),‘Civilization:ThewestandtherestbyNiallFerguson’,LondonReviewofBooks,33(21).
WorkingPapers:
1. Frankema,E.&VanMaijenburg,M.,(2011),‘WorkingPaper24:StructuralimpedimentstoAfricangrowth?NewevidencefromrealwagesinBritishAfrica1880-1965’,Netherlands:Utrechtuniversity.
2. Jedwab,R.&Moradi,A.,(2012),‘Colonialinvestmentsandlong-termdevelopmentinAfrica:evidencefromGhanaianrailways’,UnitedStates:DartmouthUniversity.
3. Jedwab,R.&Moradi,A.,(2015),‘Thepermanenteffectsoftransportationrevolutionsinpoorcountries:evidencefromAfrica’,UnitedStates:GeorgeWashingtonUniversity.
4. Moradi,A.,(2008)‘TowardsanobjectiveaccountofnutritionandhealthincolonialKenya:AstudyofstatureinAfricanArmyRecruitsandCivilians1880-1980’,UnitedKingdom:UniversityofOxford.
