1. Colonialism

2. Colonialism
Colonialism is the acquisition and settlement of a territory or country by another nation
Pre-industrial revolution – colonies were seen as a source of useful products not available at home
Canada supplied GB with furs and lumber
Caribbean supplied sugar and coffee
South Asia supplied spices and tea

3. Post-industrial revolution – under mercantile system colonies were considered to exist only for the benefit of the mother country
Countries could no longer operate in the their own best economic interests
India used to export cotton to GB, but after GB ordered the destruction of the industry in India, it became a major importer of cotton from GB
Europeans get a taste of sweet tea (sugar from Caribbean was like oil of today) and set up plantations and used slave labour from Africa and India to work the fields

5. Colonial Empires in 1914.

6. Mad Scramble for Africa
Gold
Copper
Diamonds
Cobalt
Rubber
Cocoa
To name a few…

8. Concession Companies
Concession companies were set up by colonial powers and act as “corporations” which trade in a particular area or in specific products
Often times these companies are so powerful that they were given the responsibility to act as the government in some parts of the colonial empire

9. Colonialism
Lands were now privately owned – therefore control of lands was in the hands of a few, thus many people became landless
The best quality lands were now owned by concession companies or settlers and often used as plantations – thereby pushing the locals off their lands into poverty where in turn they became cheap labour for the plantations
Land used to grow food for local people came to be used for growing crops that were sent back to the mother country. These cash crops included commodities such as sugar, bananas, cacao, tea and coffee. Therefore areas that were once self-sufficient in food production now relied on imports!

10. Colonizers built infrastructure that served commercial needs (develop raw materials, export market) but did not extend to most populated areas that would have benefitted local populations
In many areas of Africa, tribal groups were divided. Some groups were given economic advantages which in turn fuelled rivalries between groups, and allowed the colonial powers to maintain power
When colonial powers left, the ensuing chaos of a divided continent allowed the take-over of corrupt leaders

12. Guns, Germs and Steel and Geography
European countries have an advantage geographically of access to better quality soils and domesticated large animals
This led to food surplus and the growth of cities
Cities allow for a diversification of employment and secure incomes (more money to buy luxuries)
Industrial revolution allowed for the production of steel and guns

13. Viewing The Movie Role of germs, guns, steel and geography
What role did these play in settling parts of the temperate zones of Africa and in what way did they work against colonizing the tropics
What happened after

14. Dealing With Colonial Legacies
Imperial political powers disappeared and were replaced by economic colonialism dominated by corporations (eg) Del Monte in Costa Rica, McDonald’s in Brazil
A tough problem to fix because the country relies on the income and jobs generated by the commodities that these corporations produce in their country
In an ideal situation, developing nations should run their own economies instead of big multinational corporations

15. 51 percent of the world’s 100 hundred wealthiest bodies are corporations.