QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON AFRICAN POLITICS

AFRICAN POLITICS

1. Discuss fully the impact of colonialism on Africa

Answer:

Colonialism is the direct and overall domination of one country by another on the basis of state power being in the hands of a foreign power.  For example, the direct and overall domination of Nigeria by Britain between 1900-160.

Impact of Colonialism in Africa

The Major impact of colonialism in African is that it brought about the under-development of African territories in many different ways.  The colonial education was not rooted in African culture and therefore could not foster any meaningful development within the African environment because it had no organic linkage.   Colonial education essentially aimed at training clerks, interpreters, produce inspectors, artisans etc. which would help them in the exploitation of the Africa’s rich resources.  It did not aim at industrialisation of African territories nor at stimulating technological development within the African environment.

Another impact of colonialism in African is the disarticulation of their economy.  Colonialism distorted African pattern of economic development in many different ways. 

2. Identify and discuss the factors that influenced the decolonization processes in Africa

Answer:

Factors which influence Decolonization:

The advent of colonialism which most Africans regarded as chief cause of oppression and backwardness of their continent did develop its own contradictions that formed the seed of its own destruction.

There are several factors remote and immediate which gathered a head and set aflame the momentum that precipitated the emergence of decolonization and these include the following:

-                      The decline of European imperialism

The decline of European imperialism can partly be attributed to perhaps an advance in moral conscience which condemned domination and exploitation and also to the ego of the colonized coming out of imperialism with new found strength with their ability to persuade the world of the rightness of their cause. 

Another very important fact is that imperialism has been drawing to a close precisely because it has been fulfilling the historic function of spreading abroad the dynamism inherent in the great western revolution of modern times.

The Africans, - the colonized, who were driven into the modern world by the so-called alien matters had learnt enough of a lesson to insist that, henceforth, they would themselves take control of their further advances into modernity.

-                      The wind of change in the global system

After the end of World War II especially in the 1960s the process which gave birth to the nation states of Europe were repeated all over the world.  The global system witnessed the awakening of national consciousness in peoples of Africa, Asia etc who have for centuries lived in dependence upon some other power.  Many countries of different races, creed, colour and civilizations pressed their claims to an independent national life. Such sweeping awakening of national consciousness was conspicuously felt in Africa culminating in their demand for self governments and independence. Thus a very strong wind of change blowing all over the globe blew also through the African continent giving rise to the high growth of national consciousness. 

Others are:

-                      The demand for independence

-                      The United Nations and decolonization

3. Identify and discuss the general characteristics of a politically independent country

Answer:

There are certain general characteristics of politically independent countries.  These are:

i.                    Political Sovereignty

This means that a politically independent state exercises ultimate political rights on the citizenry.  Such states no longer take political orders from outside authorities and powers. 

ii.                  National symbols

Independent states usually display their own national symbols.  These range from national flag, national anthem, coat of arms, to lingua franca, that is, official language and even dress embedded in culture and tradition.

iii.                Economy

Every independent state usually pursue specific forms of economic system and fiscal policy.  This includes capitalist, socialist, and/or mixed economic formations or structures.

iv.                Social reorganization and reordering

If the state is also usually pursued by a newly independent state. This also include, the educational.  Health, transport and communications sectors of the people.

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