African Independence
Transition to Independence In 1900 Africa was still ruled by European nations. England, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, etc. The decision to “let go” of the African colonies began after WWII. Independence movements began in the 1950s & 1960s.
Independent African Nations 1956: Morocco & Tunisia given independence by France. Would not let go of Algeria because so many French people lived there. Algeria won independence by 1962 through the use of guerilla warfare. 1957: First British colony to gain independence was Ghana. Guided by Kwame Nkrumah
Independent African Nations Nigeria, Zaire, the Congo, and Kenya soon followed in independence. By 1960 there were 17 new African nations. By 1965 there were 28. 1970s: Mozambique & Angola became independent after several deadly guerilla wars with the Portuguese. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhtnGT0T9s0
South Africa 1950s: White Dutch Africans strengthened laws to separate whites and blacks. Resulted in racial segregation known as “apartheid,” which means apartness. S. Africa was harder to liberate because the political systems were dominated by whites. The blacks formed the African National Congress (ANC) in 1912 to try and reform the government and economy. Had little success
The Apartheid 1960: Police open fired on peaceful protest marchers; killed 69 people. 1962: ANC leader, Nelson Mandela, was arrested. ANC members called for armed conflict with the whites, even though that’s not what Mandela wanted. Mandela was released on February 11, 1990 after 28 years in prison.
New African Nations Challenge of Africanism Some wanted Democracy & Capitalism, others thought African Communism & Socialism would work better. African leaders could not agree on how to govern the new nations. “Pan-Africanism” was an idea of unity of all black Africans. Not completely successful because Africans still held on to tribal divisions. By 2002 there were 53 groups within nations who promoted democracy and capitalist economic growth.
New African Nations Economic Problems Most nations relied on only one crop for export. National money was spent on military equipment or expensive goods. They did not invest in industry or agricultural improvements. New African Nations Economic Problems The population grew rapidly and there were not enough jobs. The spread of AIDS created enormous health problems and over ran medical centers. As much as ¾ of the people in Africa live in poverty and horrible conditions.
New African Nations Political Challenges Many people hoped for “one person, one vote,” but democracy easily fell to militarism. By the mid-1980s almost all the African nations had violently over thrown their democratic leaders and replaced them with one-party systems ruled by the military. National arguments about leaders and boundaries resulted in more violence and war. Example: 500,000 dead in Rwanda
New Hopes for Africa 1994: Nelson Mandela won the free elections in South Africa! Became the first black president in South Africa. “We shall build a society in which all South Africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall, without any fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable rights to human dignity – a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world.”
Society & Culture in Modern Africa In general, Africa is a world of contrasts. Old and new, native and foreign, live side by side. There is constant tension between traditional ways and Western cultures. Most big cities in Africa look just like big cities in western cultures. High rise apartments, movie theaters, traffic, lights, and shopping. People who live outside the cities live like their ancestors. Huts, no plumbing, hunting, farming. Urban citizens and rural citizens emphasize a deep division between them and promote negativity towards each other.
Society & Culture in Modern Africa Women’s Roles After independence most democratic nations allowed women to vote and hold political office. However, women do not have as many career opportunities as men. Rural areas still believe in arranged marriages for women.