The Early Years of Development
Discussion of Text and background information to colonial development Presentation: Development as an Objective in the Early United Nations (Hauke Meier, Mark Härtel)
League of Nations ( ) Peace through collective security International technical cooperation
League of Nations: technical assistance Internationalizes notion of „development“ Colonialism belongs to past (?) Establishes categories (undeveloped – developed) based upon earlier notions of „civilized“ versus „barbaric“ or „unvicilized“ Emergence of the „development expert“ Focus areas of technical assistance
China: a case in point : about 30 experts: education, transport, agriculture Expert recommendations for agrarian development Role of Chinese government
Colonial Development: France Albert Sarraut (minister of colonies) calls for action program (1921) Limited funds for colonial development by Paris towards the end of the decade 1930s: tension between conflicting goals: keep colonial societies as they are (stability, no threat to existing order) versus need to legitimize colonial rule and extract resources in times of economic crisis
Colonial Development: France World War II: struggle for freedom and democracy – contributions by colonial soldiers Postwar: major development efforts in the field of education, health, legal system, equal treatment of colonial subjects and expats Rationale: development as legitimizing instrument of colonialism; response to strikes, social unrest
Illustration: The Office du Niger in Mali (1932-present)
Fact Sheet Sources: Schreyger (1984); Aw/Diemer (2005); World Bank Archives
Emile Bélime La Production du Coton (Paris 1925) Map: Les travaux du Niger (Paris 1940)
Beginnings (Left: brick production for model village; right: village) Founding of the Office du Niger 1932
Office du Niger (1940)
Mechanics of Development: Inside the Office du Niger ( Photos from the Movie „L‘Homme du Niger“, France 1940)
Postwar Colonial Development (African Soldiers – World War II) Struggle for freedom Anticolonial international environment Legitimacy and Stability
“La grande illusion” (left: spare parts, Tanganijka groundnut scheme; right: Office du Niger)
Decolonization
Colonial Development: Great Britian
1928: Colonial Development Act: colonies can apply for loans Little impact due to Great Depression 1940: Colonial Development and Welfare Act Background: unrest and chaos in Jamaica; desire to impress US
French and British development assistance,