Colonialism And Ethnicity

There are variations in the degree and type of ethnic conflict, and much of it is thought to be due to the colonial governing style. In the African post-colonial era there has been everything from cases of ongoing conflict, occasional violent inter-ethnic encounters, and countries that are relatively free of any significant ethnic violence.

Ethnopolitics remain a central issue in Africa, and may be traced back to colonial state-building. Different colonial styles, specifically those of the French and British and their distinct approaches to colonial rule would have created the degrees of ethnic stratification that are present in African politics even today. The decentralized, indirect system of colonial rule as defined by Baron Lugard implemented by the British created a non hierarchical classification when it came to African ethnicities, while the French colonial system was one that leaned more toward centralization and the building of ethnic hierarchies. Since ethnicities which are not classified hierarchically are more likely to become competitive, often expressed through hostility and conflict, it may be theorized that the British system is closely linked with current ethnopolitical friction. The French colonies, with ranked systems of rule, led to a centralized power structure that was bureaucratic and delayed and quelled interethnic struggles. While ethnic boundaries were emphasized by colonialists during the colonialism years, the artificial constructions surrounding ethnicities were picked up by Africans themselves and taken to the political stage. This paper will briefly discuss how ethnic divides affect government, using the examples of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

European contact with Africa was initial...

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...). In short, while the French encouraged assimilation in a central French identity, the British encouraged societal and ethnic divisions.

The structure of the configuration of ethnic groups, ranked or unranked, has a direct and significant impact on the ability and willingness of these groups to mobilize for collective action. Indirect administrative rule by the British left traditional patterns of social organization in place, which indicates that ethnic conflict should be more frequent and intense in former British colonies, as these structure facilitated aggravated mobilization. French colonial rule focused on centralized administration, and destroyed the pre existing power structures. This left different ethnicities without the means to mobilize and challenge grievances, which would then lead to lower instances of inter-ethnic conflict in the post-colonial era.