Spread of European Imperialism in Africa

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The 18th and 19th centuries were known as the height of Imperialism. European countries became more and more engaged in the “Scramble for Africa”. Nations including Britain, Spain, France, Portugal, Belgium, and Germany raced to conquer lands in Africa. Imperialism in Africa had many negative and positive effects on the conquered country. It brought modernized technology and certain reforms, while it also introduced racist laws, enforced harsh labors, and ruined the economies of many colonies. Although European imperialism in Africa brought modernized technology, Imperialism was not beneficial for Africa due to the social, economic, and political costs that the Europeans brought.

The age of Imperialism did benefit some of the colonies in Africa. In many ways, it helped modernize their culture and civilize their colonies. “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t regret the British coming…we would have still been in the Stone Age” (Godwin 105). This shows how in some cases European presence in Africa brought modern technology and helped modernize their culture. Europeans also introduced new and improved school systems, roads, railways, canals, bridges, and in some cases, provided law and order, which helped with many of the infrastructural problems. Some of the other modern technology consisted of development of railways, modern means of transport and communication, press, introduction of English language which served as lingua franca, and a uniform system of administration throughout the country (Conard 1). All of this was looked upon to be very much needed for the natives. Also, the Europeans made it possible for certain colonies in Africa to develop industries, which in turn, led to industrialization and a prosperous economy. Along wi...

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...ans. Overall, the outcome of Imperialism in Africa was clearly negative because its sole purpose was for Europeans to prosper with economic resources, leaving any imperialized country in great ruin and in need of reform.

Bibliography

Ed. Thomas Benjamin. Vol. 3. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007. p996-998. COPYRIGHT 2007 Gale, Cengage Learning Jeremy Rich

Hochschild, Adam. King Leopold’s Ghost, A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998.

Godwin, Peter. “A Land Possessed” National Geographic Magazine. August 2003.

Ferguson, Niall. Empire, The Rise and Demise of the British World Order and Lessons for Global Power.London: Penguin Books Ltd., 2002.

3. Vandervort, Bruce. Wars of Imperial Conquest in Africa, 1830?1914. London, GBR: UCL Press, 1998. p 29.

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