Scramble for Africa
The Scramble for Africa
(1800-1900): Research the factors that led to this & explain why this rush
occurred. Rank the causes from most significant to least significant
based on what you think motivates a country to become involved in foreign
exploration/colonization. Check out the various links below to help you
with this:
Through my research, it seems to me that there is only one cause that motivated countries to grab up pieces of Africa, the desire for power. This singular motivation manifests itself in different forms, but it is there none the less. Many countries said that they moved into Africa in order to educate themselves and the people already there, but this was just a front to mask their true goal as they forced the people into servitude and reaped the money, raw materials, and labor that the land had to offer. The resources were exploited to improve financial status and used to fuel the industrial revolution, taking place in Europe at the time, leading to even more economic clout. The new-found funds as well as the property they came from acted as status symbols. In his search for a piece of the power Africa offered, King Leopold II sparked a continental pissing contest by laying claims to pieces of the Congo through treaties made with the native people. Each colonizer then wanted to prove that they were superior, so they grabbed up parts of Africa in order to gain access to the power that each parcel of land provided. The people of Africa may have benefited from improved education and infrastructure, but this was just a side effect of the colonizers trying to improve their own standings.
ReplyDeleteJacob, Everything you stated was true, but I'd argue that desire for power wasn't the only motive. I believe the motives go back to the same ones seen with the Spanish conquistadors who conquered much of Latin America. You know, the three G's. Gold, God, and Glory. Well we all took world history, so we all know it was really only about the gold and glory. God was a mask, as was the education you mentioned in your paragraph. Once the mask was on, the colonists could rush in feeling guilt free and confident in their superiority. The gold goes back to ivory trade we saw in the documentary. Get a monopoly, and you put a price on the market. Lastly but not least of course they need the glory. This includes taking land unfairly, kicking natives to the curb, and popping the bubbly back in the mother land. So where do I begin to rate these in order? Well first I'll say "God." Without a mask, Europeans cannot exploit anyone without drawing the attention of anyone else. Second would be the "glory." Without power, the colonists would be in no position to gain riches. That leaves "gold" for last, giving the colonists everything they could ever want, and sealing the deal on a wonderful steal.
DeleteYou made several good points and your statement that the desire for power was the only motive may have some merit. People truly are inherently greedy and it may be difficult to believe that entire nations would act on such. It would not be unreasonable to believe, especially due to the fact that many people viewed Africans as subhuman at the time, that colonizers saw Africa as an opportunity for a quick buck to improve their lives.
DeleteBased on my research, there seem to be three prominent factors for this attack on Africa. The first factor arises from the power countries felt they obtained from these colonies; around this time, many countries were having power struggles to fight for preeminence over the others. Many countries felt that they could establish this preeminence by acquiring land from territories around the world. However, the problem arose when this turned more into exploitation rather than exploration. These Europeans would essentially "suck" the life out of the land, ranging from their resources to taking advantage of the labor of the natives. This increased their greed for resources, and led to more heinous acts against humanity. The next factor comes from the social problems within Europe around that time. While industrialization was on the rise, so was poverty, unemployment, and homelessness. In order to fix this issue going on within Europe, countries felt that they could export part of their population to these colonies. These colonies were seen as a new beginning for many and a source of income. The last factor is the desire many felt to civilize the "savages." Europeans would convince others that all of these acts were done to benefit the Africans; they needed to educate them about the proper way of life. However, this was seen as a mask for Europeans to hide the real reason for going to Africa. They were selfish and greedy; the Africans were treated as criminals, and they were tortured worse than animals. A scar imprinted upon Africa from the greed of the Europeans.
ReplyDeleteHey Luvi, I agree with a lot of your points about the driving forces. However, I do not see the exportation of homeless people to Africa as a large problem compared to your first reason of greed and growing desire for wealth. The problem is that I think that most of our problems today come out of our exploitation of the Africans. I would actually argue that the people in power in business in Europe came a lot more to Africa than the homeless and impoverished. However, you do see it as second to the bigger problems of greed. Just in my opinion, sending less fortunate people is not something that motivated countries to colonize Africa. Great post though and very detailed! Love the last line a lot!
DeleteI think there are three main causes for a country’s motivation for exploring and/or colonizing foreign countries. These causes are, in rank of descending order of importance, economic greed/desires, the need/desire to build up the national image to the international community, and the need/desire to build up the national image inside the country. Countries first and foremost concentrate on economic benefits of exploring and/or colonizing foreign countries. In HoD, Belgium’s rush for the Congo was caused by its desire to take away resources of the Congo for itself and to monopolize certain profitable industries, such as the ivory market and the rubber market. Almost all Europeans presented in the book have given up their souls and humanity in order to brutally enslave the Congolese and force them to harvest Congo’s natural resources. Countries also explore and colonize foreign countries in order to send a message to other countries- colonizing other countries builds their empires, which projects an image of power and mightiness to the international community. In other words, countries explore and colonize foreign countries because of self-interest and greed for money or power. (Jenny Park, 4th block)
ReplyDeleteJenny, do you believe European colonizers were driven more so by nationalistic intentions - economic and political superiority of the state - or by individuals' desires for personal wealth? Did motivations differ at different points in history?
Delete^I'd like to edit my post above. Scratch out three main causes to two main causes, and scratch out the need/desire to build up the national image inside the country. I believe that this is a main result of colonization, not a main cause.
ReplyDeleteIn order of most significant to least significant factors I believe the factors are: desire for wealth through exploitation, desire for power/empire, and desire to bring civilization and Christianity. It is human nature it seems to take advantage of cheap labor, and we have seen this displayed countless times through history. When Europeans saw this huge opportunity to take advantage of millions of people to cultivate raw materials for next to nothing, they took the opportunity. They blocked out their sympathy for the suffering people, because the stack of money they were earning blinded the Europeans. Especially since Europeans had medical advances to keep them healthier than they had in the past and there was better technology to reach Africa, they simply could not resist the offer. Also Africa has raw materials not found in Europe such as Ivory and rubber, which also heavily attributed to their increase in wealth.
ReplyDeleteI also see the desire to have a large empire like Britain as a driving force for the colonization of Africa. While people's greed for money and wealth is stronger than their desire to have a bigger jurisdiction in my opinion, I still see why Germany and Belgium wanted to explore the uncharted lands of Africa. No one at this time could keep up with Britain's exploration, but Africa was one place where land was not colonized.
Finally, a lot of historians argue that people colonized to make Africa more civilized through changing the structure of society and bringing Christianity to the shores of Africa. However, I see this more of a cover for people to exploit the poor people of Africa. While Christianity brought hope and a lot of positives to Africa, the way a majority of conquests brought civilization was truly corrupted. It is highly debatable if the type of civilization Leopold II brought to the Congo truly helped civilize Congo. I think the desire to have more wealth through easy, cheap labor outshines all other factors, with the desire for power for individuals and smaller countries as a close second.
I see all the factors you cited for Europeans' colonization of foreign nations represented in our book. For example, the Europeans in HoD were so driven and greedy for power and money that they were more than willing to enslave the local Congolese in the production and harvesting of ivory. (Jenny Park)
DeleteMaddie,
DeleteI agree with you concerning your reasons for the "scramble for Africa" however I think that the desire for power was the leading factor in colonization, and that the Europeans used the exploitation of resources as a means of attaining such power. Had the Europeans found another way to make a profit and grow in status in Africa that did not involve exploiting resources (I can't think of anything but let's imagine), they would have done the same thing and been just as greedy. The imports they acquired were an added benefit in colonizing Africa but the hunger for power was what fueled them.
While reading and researching, I came to the conclusion that there were three main causes for Europe encroaching onto African soil: expansion, exploration, and natural resources. The most prominent and important cause was European expansion. All of Europe was already occupied and Great Britain, who was trying to keep the peace between Germany, Italy and France, was left with no room for expansion. They needed some way to show off their power without creating conflict and Africa seemed to be the perfect place and opportunity to flex their strength. Innocence in Africa was overthrown by the power-driven, power-hungry Europeans. Along with claiming the land, the exploration of the Africa became the number two cause for this "scramble for Africa". The nineteenth century was full of exploration and Henry Stanley, sent by King Leopold, was the man to run around Africa and create colonies. His findings launched an eager Europe to travel to Africa looking for lost cities such as Timbuktu and mystical places like the Niger River. However, these eager, almost innocent explorations turned into greed and lust for resources of the area which caused more Europeans to travel down south. The capitalists saw the opportunity for wealth through the many natural resources Africa had to offer such as coffee, rubber, sugar, timber, etc., and decided to act. They didn't see or even care about the gruesome way they needed to obtain these minerals, but only saw dollar signs and a thriving market and businesses. Overall, the white men of power in Europe encroached and invaded Africa's soil due to power, curiosity, and greed.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you've said except for the part about Stanley. You wrote how Stanley start off on innocent explorations that turned into greed. I believe it started out primarily centered around greed. King Leopold was a smart man and as soon as he realized the potential for exploitation that Africa, he sent Stanley off to Africa to scope it all out. King Leopold got Stanley to do the dirty work while he sat surrounded in wealth.
DeleteLaurel,
DeleteI like your emphasis on the power-hungry aspect of the colonization. While economic and political goals were certainly considered, the greed and desire to be the number one exploiter of resources definitely lead the charge into Africa.
From 1886 to 1914, there was a rise in the number of European countries "exploring" the African landscape. I feel that this scramble for Africa was based solely based on the desire for power and money. The specific reasons:
ReplyDelete1. Politics- At this point in time, there was little room left in Europe to expand. European countries saw Africa as a way to expand their empires and secure more power among the other world powers. It was a power struggle among these countries that happen to take place in Africa at the expense of the African people and their lives.
2. Henry Morton Stanley- This man was known for exploration of the Congo and profiting from its surplus of ivory, rubber, gold, etc. Other countries saw him as a threat and looked with green eyes at his success. He was the initiative for many countries to explore their own colonies in Africa.
3. Capitalism/ Exploration: Exploration allowed these European countries to go to Africa in search of markets, goods, and resources not often found in Europe. Africa was a gold mine. As for capitalism, there was a need for commerce between with Europe and Africa. It also said in the articles, due to the industrial revolution, Europe needed more raw materials to make all these revolutionary items and markets to sell these items. With the doors (forced?) opens to Africa, it was a new market that could make these power-hungry countries that more powerful with a stable/prospering economy behind them. Europeans were able to use Africa and its people/resources through mineral exploitation, large scale agriculture production, small scale agriculture production, and supply of labor.
There are other reason many people claim caused the scramble for Africa, but I find them less significant:
1. Christianity- The last thing most Europeans had in mind when they thought of Africa was "Hey, let's convert them!". Most saw dollar signs, not future Christian citizens of Africa. Of course, there were missionaries who worked to convert and "civilize" the native Africans. These missionaries saw "inferior" natives that they could "improve" and bring to the light ,but I find that this was not the reason behind the majority of people exploring to this continent.
In conclusion, I find that the exploration of Africa was based on greed and profit. The feelings of the African people were not taken into account, but the prospect of being the next world power was.
I completely agree with what you said about Christianity's influence. Everything seemed to be related to money, and in addition to that, converting a bunch of people into Christians would make the Europeans look really great.
DeleteYou made coherent points and I agree with what you said. Greed and profit were probably the biggest driving forces that led to the unorderly colonization of Africa.
DeleteAs the about.com site states, Henry Morton Stanley, is "more infamously known for his explorations on behalf of King Leopold II of Belgium". However, for many of us, this is the first time we have heard his name. Is this a recurring theme in history: how those reigning behind the scenes with others doing their bidding receive the majority of the credit?
DeleteI discovered that the reasons that there was such a rush to get to Africa during the time was because people were tricked into thinking something other than what was going on was happening, the natural resources, and the belief that people could civilized these people that were already civilized in their own way. King Leopold spun the stories to make it seem like he was ending the slave trade in Africa, mainly the Congo, but he was really implementing it for the sake of his greed. Plus, we've read and heard that the only reasons most people went over there was because they heard that King Leopold was supposedly doing a good thing there. Well, once they traveled there they realized the rich and natural resources Africa had to offer and ran with it. There soon was trading stations, death, slavery, and all these minerals and materials suddenly coming from the African continent that people got greedy for. We've also read that missionaries believed it their right to go to this place not knowing what to expect and try to teach these people a religion they really knew nothing about. In their own ways the Africans had their own system of religion and civilization, they didn't need anyone to come travel to their world and make things more complicated and hurtful than they needed to be. In short, the European men in power started this invasion due to the fact that they were greedy, arrogant, and let their position get the best of them.
ReplyDeleteHi Anissa, I hadn't even mentioned the fact that the Europeans wanted to spread their culture or "civilization", mostly because they didn't accept or recognize the fact that the Africans already had a very beautiful and rich culture and civilization. It's interesting that we agree though that their motives for going into Africa was driven by greed and arrogance. (Jenny Park)
DeleteHey Anissa, I agree a lot with the idea that King Leopold II withheld a lot of information and definitely spun the truth. However, in terms of the whole colonization of Africa, do you not see the desire to make wealth through cheap labor? Or do you think that other countries colonized Africa to gain more power for their empire to compete with large empires of Britain?
DeleteAnissa,
DeleteI agree that the European men were only thinking about themselves and their own wealth. They definitely did take advantage of the African people and made their lives horrible.
Anissa,
DeleteI agree with the idea of King Leopold brainwashing people into thinking that he was ending the slave trade in Africa when he was really using Africa for his own selfish purposes. This is probably one of the main reasons why he and the people that worked for him continued to greedily colonize Africa.
It is apparent that the colonization of Africa was a cause-and-effect reaction. One country's entrance into Africa instigated the concern of the other European countries, which had their own reasons for "following the leader." I believe that intimidation was a strong factor in this; fear that a neighboring European country would gain too much power from its colonies and eventually overrule the others. The invention of the steamboat and the ability to prevent diseases such as malaria were a powerful push towards colonization, however the possibility of being able to reign over Africa's resources appears to be the leading factor towards the colonization of Africa. Even though many countries such as Britain were opposed to the slave trade, the fear of missing out ("fomo" to be colloquial) was strong enough to compel them to follow their neighbors and rivals into the heart of darkness.
ReplyDeleteHi Clara! I like how you emphasize that fear drove the European countries to colonize; all countries feared that their rivals would dominate. To stop this, they must gain power, and to gain power is to increase their wealth and their land.
DeleteI like what you said about intimidation being a key factor. Countries are so often competing with each other and pushing to stay ahead of the others that they end up destroying lives.
DeleteClara,
DeleteI agree with your point completely. Countries are always in competition with one another which never leads to a positive outcome. I really like how you used the word fear (like Isabella said ^). I think it accurately describes how countries are pressured into making decisions.
Clara, you mentioned countries often had to participate in the "Scramble" because they wanted to keep up with other countries (who embraced imperialistic policies). Do you believe countries like Britain (who were, at least in theory, opposed to the slave trade) had other viable options for remaining competitive in the late 19th century?
DeleteI like your follow the leader reference because it depicts the colonizers actions as immature. This description is fitting because its all about getting the coolest toys(resources) first and not sharing with anybody else.
DeleteIn order from most important to least important for the reasons as to why the Europeans sought after Africa are: capitalism- goes with need for market and demand for raw materials, Stanley- goes with exploration and new technologies/innovations, and lastly the spreading of Christianity and civilization. I chose capitalism as first because after the stopping of the European slave trade, there was a need for commerce between Europe and Africa. Survival of the fittest theology came into play, and Europe realized how easily they could exploit the Africans- bring disease, death, and destruction all the while. The Europeans sought after full population centers in Africa that could be used as a market for Europe. The "need for raw materials" derives from the arising of huge plantations and cash crops that need rubber, coffee, sugar, and timber. Africa was this huge resource heaven for the Europeans who became greedy just thinking about how much they could exploit these people. Secondly, I believe Henry Morton Stanley and this craving for exploration was vital to the scramble for Africa. Similar to how lewis and clark explored America and bringing back all the stories...Stanley told of how many resources could be extracted, how the "savages" could be used for cheap labor, and the wealth that could be gained. Lastly, I put Christianity and civilization. This may have been the main goal for some- yet for the most part I believe (and its human nature) to be greedy and to want things for ourselves. Africa was like a big bowl of candy on Halloween and no parents are watching over it telling you to take only one. You take as much as you please, and may even come back for more.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you drew out the greed of the nations grabbing Africa as a big bowl of candy on Halloween that is left for grabs! :D
DeleteHunger for land and wealth :)
DeleteI agree with you putting the philanthropic motivations last because colonizing Africa was an obviously selfish act, but I don't see how Stanley relates to inventions/modernization other than the resources that you already stated.
DeleteReading through these documents...it seems to me that the "Scramble for Africa" really began when countries began exploring as a result of the slave trade. As a result of the exploration and the findings of explorers such as Henry Morton Stanly, eventually lead to all of the other reasons. One expedition's discovery of quinine (which cured malaria and therefore allowed people to travel deeper into the "heart of the darkness", lead to further searching for possible cures to other diseases. As new discoveries were made by expeditions, this in turn lead to the greed of countries to decide to exploit the land for capitalism. New discoveries and the claiming of the area in which they resided allowed countries to exert their political dominance over others while "increasing" the value of their country through the stealing of resources from the Africans. Africa's plunder was the sole result of exploration and everything else was just an effect.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer! I agree with how everything seemed to have a cause and effect reaction: the slave trade caused countries to explore, exploring caused them to fine valuable resources, and these valuable resources caused them to exploit the population. I think that all of the countries were consumed with the idea of wealth that they were willingly to sacrifice anything to gain it. It's sad to think that only a small population knew what was truly going on in Africa: most thought they were civilizing Africans when they were enslaving them.
DeleteEuropean countries rushed to colonize Africa during the nineteenth century, wishing to exploit the people and the natural resources that reside there. As the industrial revolution took off, European countries experienced stress on raw materials and limited land; usually, these countries import these materials from Asia, but soon European leaders looked for ways to gain these materials for a cheaper price. By colonizing Africa, not only manufacturers gained these resources for free, but gained cash crops such as coffee, sugar, rubber, timber, and other luxuries through forced labor. As European countries gained these imports, they exported manufactured goods, such as guns, to the African population, thus increasing the wealth of the mother country. In all, of these components contribute to the most influential factor that European countries strive for: power. Countries competed with their rivals to have a better economy, better technology, better standards of living, better armies, etc. Thus, they looked to Africa to exploit any advantages they might find there in fear of lagging behind other European countries.
ReplyDeleteHowever, other elements influenced European colonization. European countries felt the obligation to “civilized” the savage Africans through commerce and labor, as well as spreading their religion to them. Additionally, many thought that colonizing Africa would free them of the slave trade, which Muslim traders still practiced. Medical advances (such as the cure to malaria), advanced weaponry, and steamboats allowed these countries to possess the means necessary to invade Africa; since they could, with these means at their disposal, they did.
I agree with the points that you mentioned, especially the one about exploitations hidden behind an ever-looming "fear" of lagging behind other European countries. It is always intriguing to see what some will do in the face of fear.
DeleteIt was amazing to see how many countries were involved in the breaking apart of Africa. The sudden rush occurred for many reasons, and the websites provided many reasons that could have explained the European activity in Africa, and we were asked to rank the causes from most significant to least significant. I thought the most significant reason was the need for trade and commerce (economic reasons) because economic power gave a nation power. By using Africa economically, nations would have been able to become wealthy while also stepping up as a world power (when looking at world powers, like Great Britain, they were powerful because of their economic power), which would be a country's goal. Therefore, I thought that the main reason that a country would want to control Africa would be for economic exploitation. The second main cause that I saw was a country’s desire to expand. Unlike larger nations like Great Britain and France, there were many other nations that were very small (like Belgium), and because of this, I thought that a country’s desire to expand would be second. Afterwards, I felt that all the other reasons were all in the same group, where they are important but are not as important as the two other reasons. Some of the other reasons that could be grouped could be for the pure purpose of exploration, the spreading of Christianity, or the desire to bring medical aid. All of these seemed like good reasons to come to Africa, but they were not as significant as a country’s desire for land and power (economically). However, all the reasons that the countries grabbed Africa are out of some sort of greed; the European nations obviously did not want to lose their opportunity to become powerful in some way.
ReplyDelete(Ha Young Kim- 4th BLOCK)
Europe obviously began their encroachment onto Africa's soil out of curiosity and desire for exploration, but what inspired them to colonize and overstep their boundaries seems to all come back to power and greed. Sure, Europe appreciated the beauty that the continent had to offer, but once the Europeans realized all the economic benefits Africa would provide for them, such as resources and markets, they interpreted Africa's importance in a different way. Politics also played an especially prominent role in Europe's strive to maintain power. When the Europeans needed territory, they felt entitled to reach over to Africa and take anything they believed should belong to the Europeans. According to the website, "establishing political control over the colonies was the primary objective of the colonial powers." They didn't care that through war, threats, and treaty making they were destroying lives and what little economies existed. All that mattered was that Europe thrived and maintained its power among all other people. As for the missions to Africa to promote Christianity, even that was a way to hold power. Of course the Europeans saw Christianity as “a key to development” because that was their religion, which means it had to be the right religion.
ReplyDeleteUltimately, I feel that power and greed are most frequently, if not always, the causes for a country to become involved in colonization. Colonizers will often claim they are doing something for the sake of civilization or the sake of development. But how do they know what will benefit a different region? What may help develop one territory may destroy another. The sense of entitlement that comes with power and greed easily overtakes colonizers and encourages them to continue with their actions, whether or not it is truly benefitting the new land and its people. Additionally, what may have started off as a plan to help the new people may be overpowered by exploitation and the desire for a profit.
I agree with you. "Veni, Vidi, Vici." I come, I see, I conquer. It's simply the innate nature of men.
DeleteThe demand and motivation behind breaking up and colonizing the land in Africa is heartbreaking but also interesting to learn the motives and reasoning behind dividing a continent. The European countries had several reasons including a demand for raw materials, the growing need for markets, and the importance of spreading Christianity. Europe was booming with the Industrial revolution and as a consequence they needed to import more raw materials to continue to grow their industry and country. Therefore, they turned to Asian, African, and Pacific countries as support for their economy. Also as a result of the industrial revolution they were producing more and more goods than they knew what to do with. Therefore, the Europeans needed new markets to sell their goods to. They also needed protection as there was more competition. The last motive for colonizing was to spread the word of God. Missionaries were prominent during this time and pushed for colonization of African countries in order to develop these countries. I believe that greatest motive that European countries had was to consume more raw materials. They were developing so quickly that the need and demand for raw materials was a top priority. The next motive I believe was the need for new markets. This motive falls behind a demand for raw materials because needing new markets is a cause of having raw materials and over producing. And last I rank the spread of Christianity third, I believe that missionaires wanting to contribute and spread the word in African countries was only a part of the process and wasn't a major deciding factor.
ReplyDeleteThe scramble for Africa was during a time when countries desired colonies to call their own. A lot of other countries had colonies, like the British in India; having colonies was like the fad of the 1800-1900's. The scramble for Africa was initiated by the exploration of the country. From the expeditions through the country, Europeans were enlightened to the vast amount of resources that the country held and their desire to make a profit off of those resources drove their forceful colonization on Africa. The resources such as rubber and ivory brought out the greed within the European countries and not only were their resources there but also people to gather those resources. It was a prime opportunity tat they could not give up. The second reason that colonizing Africa was attractive to the Europeans was because the European countries needed markets to sell their products on and they saw the African countries as a prime option for that. Lastly, European countries claimed to Colonize Africa I order to "civilize" them. This reason, however was to justify their going into Africa to those who were not and would not know about the atrocities they were actually inhibiting onto the Africans. Ultimately, what drove the Europeans was greed and the pursuit of power. The European countries always battled with each other, during those times, for the most power, which led to both world wars. This is another example that you can see the Europeans fighting each other for because the more colonies and the more resources you have, the more power you have. You also see a lot of the smaller countries like Belgium an also Italy really pursuing the Africa colonies strongly because they sought to make themselves a relevant country in the big European world.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the documents, European nations scrambled for African colonies for greed and to try to become the greatest country in the world. European nations dashed to colonize Africa for their resources by exploiting the people that reside there. I agree with Julie above that it is human nature to compete and become the best in what you're trying to accomplish. By colonizing Africa, not only were European nations becoming wealthier, they gained valuable crops such as coffee, timber, sugar, and other resources. Regardless of size, a European nation attempted to become a "world power" and expand their country. Expansion is apparent when countries similar to Belgium went into Africa and captured a colony. Along with economic reasons, European colonization also spread because of their "responsibility" to civilize the savage continent of Africa. Religion and industrialization were secondary reasons to invade Africa.
ReplyDeleteDuring the late 1800’s, political and social pressures coupled with economic incentives allowed for the unjust and brutal colonization of Africa by the major European powers.
ReplyDeletePrimarily, the development of African colonies stemmed from intense political pressure as a result of inter-European politics. The major European powers such as Britain and France along with the more minor powers such as Belgium and Portugal were all engaged in major power struggle for dominance of Europe. One such way for these countries to display strength was through exerting power over other countries and colonizing them. Africa served as a ripe area for such power plays as it was relatively decentralized due to the dominance of the tribal system. To prevent a major military struggle from occurring over the division of the land, the Berlin Conference was held where the divisions of Africa among the European powers were discussed and defined. Once this was done, nothing could hinder the brutal and inhumane treatment of the Africans and their land by the European powers.
Economics also played a major role. Due to the end of slavery, the powers were in need of a new way of extracting revenue to sustain their ever increasing costs. Using colonies to extract resources was an ideal way of generating large revenue in a relatively simply way. Africa’s richness of natural resources appealed to the major powers and spurred them to invade. Once they had power over the colonies, the Europeans were able to extract at will as many resources as they wanted, paving the way for widespread land and animal destruction. While the colonizers were indeed able to gain vast wealth from the colonies, the cost at which it was done certainly outweighs any monetary gains made.
To the European nations of the late nineteenth century, Africa was just a land to be exploited, a feast of natural resources upon which they could descend like buzzards. Having already conquered much of the world, these countries turned their hungry eyes to a continent that, though poisoned by the evil institution of slavery in years past, still maintained the fruits of nature in abundance. The "Scramble for Africa" that ensued was largely a political power play motivated by the desire of European nations to "outdo" one another in the Imperialistic strategy. More than anything else, each European country wanted to be the greatest, the most powerful, and the most intimidating empire ever seen by its neighbors. Africa provided not only the land but also the labor and the natural resources to make this happen. In this way, it was the perfect arena for colonial competition on a grand scale.
ReplyDeleteThe primary reason for European colonization of Africa, the need for each nation to "outdo" its neighbors, was one that could have occurred in any time period. However, the technological innovations of the late nineteenth century served to facilitate the execution of colonization. New types of boats facilitated navigation through Africa, and more advanced military equipment made it easier to subdue native tribes. Medicinal advances protected Europeans against the myriad of diseases found on the continent. This "perfect storm" made it easy for Europeans to cut right into the heart of darkness.
Finally, Europeans needed an excuse to present to the international community. They claimed to be missionaries of Christianity bringing the light of Western civilization to the savage lands. Under this humanitarian banner, they subjugated Africans to a sort of de facto slavery in which countless men, women, and children suffered. The very idea that the Europeans meant to help Africans in any way was simply a transparent excuse. They wanted not to bring light to the continent but to rather suck out its natural light, leaving only a dark and shriveled husk in their wake.
I very much agree with your explanation. "Veni,Vidi, Vici." means I come, I see, I conquer. This quote explains the greed and desire for power that man is consumed by. The greed for expansion, religion, riches,and resources is an innate behavior in which one possesses.By reading the articles, I've concluded that because men are not yet satisfied with what they have, they must take control of others, dominate/ overpower another country, and "rape" its belongings in order to gain authority and wealth.
ReplyDeleteThe "Scramble for Africa" was a grab for political, economic, and technological dominance, furthered by the inadequacies of international law.
ReplyDeleteIn Europe the late 19th Century was mirrored by the industrialization of hamlets and villages – the conversion of cottage industries into fully fledged mechanical industries. Increased economic productivity was met with a need for markets and consumption. Political superiority was based, now more than over, on the strength of a state’s technology, weapons, and infrastructure. In other words, technological advancements of the time and desires for political hegemony concurrently created the need for the perpetual exploitation of the African people and land.
It is difficult to separate economic concern from political or technological. The three are inexorably interlinked. Nor is it easy to overlook the failures of the international community in preventing the continual degradation of the African people. In part, the failures can be attributed to overeager American sentiment for involvement in world affairs, a characteristic of American politics that steadily grew with Theodore Roosevelt's robust, interventionist foreign policy and Roosevelt’s embroilment in World War I. Indeed, while the moral righteousness of American involvement in these foreign affairs is debatable, it is clear that, at the time, the international community was neither powerful enough, nor legally endowed to appropriately vet information presented at the Berlin Conference.
Rapid consumption of resources led to capital investments in infrastructure, making mother countries weak as the colonized suffered the loss of natural resources and labor. As long as law permitted and a market existed for their goods, European countries were content exploiting Africa in order to supply products for a seemingly unending appetite for goods. Nationalistic sentiment was no longer the primary motivation for African subjugation. People were motivated by a desire for personal wealth.
In my opinion, the Scramble for Africa was based on a "political game" of domination: which country can be the greatest empire outdoing other nations. After the creation of a unified Germany in 1871 and Italy there was no room left in Europe for expansion. Britain, France and Germany were in an intricate political "game", trying to maintain their dominance, and an empire would secure it. France, which had lost two provinces to Germany in 1870 looked to Africa to gain more territory. Britain looked towards Egypt and the control of the Suez canal as well as pursuing territory in gold rich southern Africa. This allowed Britain to gain a monopoly in the trade along the Indian Ocean and Asia. Germany, under the expert management of Chancellor Bismarck, had come late to the idea of overseas colonies, but was now fully convinced of their worth. Belgium, also a late comer into this "political game", led by King Leopold, sent Henry Morton Stanley to obtain unfair treaties that gave full control over all land, exploiting the native people. Belgium, and many other countries like landlocked Germany and island Britain needed the scarce natural resources needed to fuel the industrial revolution that sparked the European continent from 1820-1840. Britain was the center-place for factories and manufacturing centers, while Africa was the supplier of natural resources like Ivory, gold, rubber, thus enslaving the African nations' economies. So what did the limited European countries do: colonize African countries as a method of guaranteeing sources of raw materials and potential monopoly. Now the mindset of profit over humanitarian deeds was set.
ReplyDeleteThe second set of circumstances needed to fueled the greed to exploit the African continent was the technological advancements that allowed brute force and power to defy the native opposition. A direct effects of the industrial revolution led to innovation in technology. The steamboat with its shallow draft (five feet), hull of iron, and two powerful steam engines could navigate the non-tidal sections of rivers, allowing access inland, and it was heavily armed. The breach loading rifle and percussion caps incorporated into cartridges as a single entity, easily transported and relatively weather proof, were used for military superiority over the bows, arrows, and more uncommonly used front loader guns.
With the combination of a sinister mindset for exploitation equipped with superior arsenal, the circumstances for one of the greatest exploitation of humans and natural resources was met and the Scramble for Africa set in motion.
After my research, it seems like the primary factor that led to the scramble for Africa was sovereignty. During the time of colonialism, establishing political control over their colonies was was the primary goal of the colonial powers. Because every European countries were in competition with one another, each of them wanted to have more colonies than others and sought to colonize as much regions in Africa as they can in order to strengthen their powers. They used a combination of warfare and treaty with the African leaders in order to gain political control of African colonies. Once political control was realized and institutions of governance were in place, economics became the main concern of the colonial governments.
ReplyDeleteThe scramble for Africa occured during the time of industrial revolution. Hence, demand for raw material was high and they relyed mostly on foreign resources, which provided greate profits to European traders. As industrialization grew and spread through Europe, some European industrialists encouraged their governments to colonize Africa as a method of guaranteeing sources of raw materials.
There’s no such thing as political adequacy. The “Scramble for Africa” was yet another battlefield of conquerors, rushing at the opportunity to proclaim political dominance in the names of their countries. This large-scale competition for power, the main cause for concern, brought along two other significant causes for conflict: a hold on expanding commerce and the “rights” to cheap labor and productivity—indefatigable exploitation.
ReplyDeleteIn the late nineteenth century, countries such as Britain, France, and Portugal were in a clash for sovereignty—to impose their political influence wherever applicable. This ultimately sparked the colonization of Africa, placing markets overseas and utilizing the grand source of raw materials that Africa was in its entirety. Furthermore, advancements in technology that were appearing at the time only facilitated the ability of European countries to explore and exploit African territories. Steam engines powered heavily armed boats that could easily travel upriver, guaranteeing access to the inner parts of the African continent, while the Europeans ensured military dominance through innovations that they would not hand over to African soil. Not only did the Europeans ensure that they had the upper hand in the matter, but by constantly trying to best each other in almost every aspect of their societies, they managed to fuel an ongoing raid of Africa. And a tireless calling for empire only solidified this mad dash.
But of course, the Europeans “must” be kind and chivalrous. Spreading Christianity to Africa was such a large call-to-action that the Europeans even felt the need to send alongside a band of men with their missionaries, telling the locals that their land would be used to fuel production of cash crops. Not only would the locals be contributing to a prospering trade system, but they would also become an integral part of that trade system—the part that works for Europe as laborers. (Isn’t it ironic to speak the word of God and yet strip a man of his rights to enslave him in his own home)? Cheap labor was never an issue, especially with negotiation and a few guns in-hand, and the push for commerce, coupled with the general European lust for dominance in the political realm, not only secured the “scramble,” but forced it upon African soil in a greedy, frenzied battle.
I like how you brought up how technology helped facilitate the colonization of Africa. This ties in with how the Congolese would associate the white men with the steamboat. Would you say that the colonization of Africa would have still occurred after the end of the slave trade even if there wasn't any of the technological advancements available?
DeleteIt's a Sai!
DeleteI feel like regardless of technological advancements, one the European nations found their ways to Africa, they would have forced their way inland; colonization was undoubtedly going to occur. In a fight for empire between power-hungry countries, the greatest way to "win" is to claim land and expand; what better place to conquer than a large, weaker landmass?
Derp. *once
DeleteVery true! also, It's a Cyn! :D
DeleteIn the start, only a small part of Africa was under the European rule. However, as colonization burgeoned into a popular course for big countries, many more sought to colonize a bigger portion of Africa. This led to the Scramble for Africa from 1880 to 1900. This rush occurred because of several factors, though greed is the underlying reason behind all of them. In my opinion, the most significant was the desire for more capital, and the least significant was the end of the slave trade. One thing that countries gained from overcoming another country was more resources. King Leopold II specifically had more access to ivory and rubber. The more resources one had, the more one could trade off and bring in more profit. Although Britain had a bit of success in stopping slave trade elsewhere, there was still remains of it in Africa. European countries might have swarmed to Africa for that reason, but it was not as prominent as the lust for money and resources.
ReplyDeleteHi Joomi, you said that greed is one of the main factors for colonization and I agree. Would you say that the greed stripped the colonizers of their humanity and allowed the "darkness" to take over?
DeleteThe base nature of humanity craves one thing: power. Power (not rubber, ivory, and other raw materials) was the main commodity that these nations sought. Each nation that took part in the scramble for Africa sought a part of it in order to become a prominent power in the world. The main factor that lead to the scramble for Africa, was the end of the slave trade.
ReplyDeleteDespite the cruel and inhumane nature of the slave trade, it was extremely profitable. The slaves and the profits were then used to develop the country and to produce goods from the raw materials that were harvested by the slaves. The manufactured goods were then sold to gain an even greater profit. However, after the end of the slave trade, it was necessary to obtain raw materials from another location. What better place than the unexplored, untainted Africa? This thinking gradually gave way to the rise of capitalism.
A common aphorism for this time is "god, gold, and glory." The nations sought to bring religion to these "barbaric people" that resided in Africa. They sought to convert each and every individual to Christianity in order to save the many souls that were once destined for hell. The various nations also sought the riches that Africa could provide; the most valued commodity was ivory. Furthermore, the nations sought the glory that colonizing Africa would entail. Glory that people such as Henry Morton Stanley (the first man to map the course of the Congo river) received. With glory, comes power, and the age old quest for power is once again brought into the equation.
The race to colonize Africa was absolutely brutal and savage. The various nations that participated in this heinous act ripped apart the nation, created arbitrary divisions which resulted in conflict between and within tribes, pillaged the various villages, and raped the land. They extorted the natives and treated them with extreme cruelty. Overall, these brutal actions are the result of the human craving for power.
Hai, Sai.
DeleteThe base nature of man tends to overshadow all; the instinct to survive drives the desire to conquer and rise to the top of any population, even globally. I liked how you covered this underlying, innate aspect of mankind. Would you say that this pillage of Africa would have occurred on an equally as large scale if the country wasn't quite as rich in resources or ideal for capitalism?
Hmm...I think it would have still occurred but not in the same way that it would if it was as rich in resources s. I believe that Africa would then just be a symbol of power instead of a source of power. The land mass would be a symbol of the prowess of the nation that has claimed it.
DeleteEuropean countries each scrambled for their own piece of Africa for 3 reasons: power, jealousy, and need for raw materials. Europeans, for centuries, were engaged in intercontinental conflict concerning power. Since the slave traded “ended” and all available land in Europe was previously claimed European countries needed a new way to assert their world prominence, so they turned to the only habitable continent left- Africa. Jealousy was also a main factor. Countries didn’t want others to get ahead of them by owning more land. If one country claimed something, the others suddenly wanted more. This concept if exemplified most obviously by Leopold of Belgium. He felt jealous of the size of other countries and rushed to claim the Congo and other countries for his own. Jealousy caused a domino effect until all of the “white space” was filled. Capitalism is one of the main causes that catapulted the mad scramble for Africa. The industrial age was in full swing at the time of Africa’s plundering. Everyone needed more resources due to new found efficiency from technological advances. The exploration of Africa exposed the Europeans to the many materials hidden in the depths of the continent. If there hadn’t been raw materials to profit from, would Europe have obsessed over claiming parts of it? No, certainly not.
ReplyDeleteRank: 1.Power 2. Jealousy 3. Capitalism/raw materials
Hey, Dierra.
DeleteI liked the idea of "jealousy" fueling the countries' race for land. Even though it's seen as a competition in the greater scheme of things, it's funny how basic emotions and feelings can still be used to drive large-scale events.
Hi, Dierra!
DeleteIt's interesting how you talked about filling the "white space" on the map of Africa. This reminds me of Hitler's idea of lebensraum, or "living space" for the German people, during World War II. Do you think that both the Scramble for Africa and the Nazi movement were similar in their intentions to force the practices of one "superior" culture on other "inferior" cultures?
-Leigh
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ReplyDeleteSai,
ReplyDeleteI loved your statement that the base nature of humanity is craving power. Your post resonated with what I said in my post. I feel that at first some of the colonizers truely did want to spread the Christian relgion in an earnest manner, but where drawn into the darkness when they arrived. Africa was the tempation to become greedy and evil and they failed.
The main factor for the scramble for Africa would be power. In the beginning, a very tiny piece Africa was ruled by European rule, but later each and every nation wanted more and more of Africa. They were competing against each other to see who could get more. No country wanted to see another getting more and more land. Even though slavery was wrong, it made a lot of money and was profitable. After the slave trade ended, they need to think of a way to still make money and went to Africa where there is ivory and rubber. Those resources made the European very greedy and corrupted. Humans all have their moments of greed and power and that is what happened to them on a whole other level.
ReplyDeleteSarah,
DeleteI like how you said "no country wanted to see another getting more and more land". That Is very true because when you see someone getting an unfair advantage, you would want to get the same thing regardless of the wrongness of it all. It is simply human nature to want more than what your neighbors have. Very insightful comment!
With the gaping hole in the middle of the European's map, 19th century explorers and their kings had an insatiable desire to conquer and discover. The reasons listed for this colonization taking place are directly linked to the natural human behavior. We all, whether it be conscious or not, seek power and knowledge. The colonizers saw the opportunity and potential that lay in Africa and sought out the riches that could be exploited from it.
ReplyDeleteThe main factor was most likely economic and greed based, as these are common among almost all of the men in power at the time- this was most likely the reason they were in power in the first place. In addition, these are driving forces common and powerful enough to motivate entire nations to flock to the same place and fight over what they deem is rightfully theirs.
In my opinion, another fairly important reason for the colonization was curiosity. The unknown both scares and intrigues us, and surely finding out what is going on in the mysterious Congo would carry some merit.
Less important, in my opinion was the end of the slave trade. There were probably people upset with the fact that not enough was being done to end the slave trade, but the explorers and conquerors were probably most interested in what monetary gain they could discover in this unexplored land.
Hi, Brandon!
DeleteIt's interesting that you mentioned curiosity as a major cause of the scramble for Africa. Would you say that human beings in general are drawn to the idea of savagery as some sort of romantic mysticism? Do you think that this attraction is indicative of humanity's id? Just some food for thought.
-Leigh
One cause stands out to me as the most significant in the "Scramble for Africa"--hegemony in all respects. Motivated by potential economic and political gains, European nations stood poised and struck whenever possible in Africa. On the map of colonized regions in "Exploring Africa", competition is visibly stiff; every time Great Britain would encroach on a nation, France would strike as well. This is due to the discovery of products that would generate revenue for European nations, such as maize, coffee, tobacco, wheat, and millet. It was a scramble for resources primarily, which would then contribute to impending domination in the long run.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this is not the only catalyst for the great scramble; timing seems to a factor as well. By the turn of the nineteenth century, European countries possessed many advancements that served them well in the conquest of nations. Military development in the form of armed weaponry had reached a boiling point and it was time to test out the improved rate of fire and percussion caps on savage subjects (africanhistory.about.com). Countries like France had doctors with medical experience and knowledge that would assist them in medical crises in underdeveloped regions of Africa, where malaria ran rampant. Steam engines and iron hulled boats provided a safe vehicle of transport, not only for people, but also for harvested goods. Timing played a large role in the Scramble for Africa due to the development of technologies that would assist in the speed of the conquest.
Probably the least significant factor in the scramble was the prospect of locating the mystical city of Timbuktu. That does not seem like a major source of motivation that would prompt European nations to explore Africa for the majority of the duration of the nineteenth century. Establishing markets and exploiting the nation's people and resources, seem to be better reasons for financing these long expeditions to an unknown continent.
So my list of causes ends up in this order (from most significant to least significant): hegemony (economic/political), timing as a result of technological/medical developments, and the potential discovery of Timbuktu.
By my research the three main factors involved in the destruction of Africa Money power and greed . The European men forced their way into Africa wearing plastic smiles while plotting sinister ways to benefit themselves. They put up a front to come across as saints helping the less fortunate rise above their servitude and modernize their land. The civilization they bought proved to be nothing more than destruction not only did they brutalize the land but the people were made to look like savages. It all has to do with the rise in power whoever has more will prosper and be in a higher ranking than the other even if that means exploiting land and of course when their is an abundance of goods people desire to have like rubber and ivory the Europeans needed more and were given the resolves to keep taking everything their greedy hands could carry.
ReplyDelete1.) The desire for money is the biggest reason for the scramble of Africa. This goes back to the "natural selection" theory proposed by Darwin being put in the context of the power of certain countries. The countries want to gain more wealth do so by exploiting the weaker countries by "dedicating the region's workforce to producing rubber, coffee, sugar, palm oil, timber, etc" so that they can be even more wealthy, Africa is being consumed by the evil force of capitalism that plagues our world.
ReplyDelete2.) Another reason that could be a driving force for the scramble of Africa is the slave trade still going on in parts of Africa. Britain and Europe wanted the slave trade to be abolished, but of course, it still continued in some places. In this case, foreign exploration is necessary in order to successfully get rid of slavery once and for all.
3.) The least important reason would be the exploration of Timbuktu. Even the explorers that went out to Timbuktu, they got sidetracked and "started to record details of markets, goods, and resources for the wealthy philanthropists who financed their trips." The exploration part of it all is something that wouldn't help the countries seeking benefits through foreign colonization, so they researched other ways in which to exploit the continent to make money, going back to the primary reason for the scramble of Africa.