Africa 1947-67

Question 1

What were the primary reasons for decolonisation?

Answer 1

• Economic impact of WW2
• Changing international situation with rise of Soviet Union and United States emerging as new world powers
• The emergence of powerful nationalist movements in the colonies which aimed to secure independence
• changed priorities in Europe with countries by the 1950s experiencing a dramatic post-war recovery and emergence of European Economic Community in 1957 which Britain joined in 1973, as a result : Empire dwindled
• Specific problems in colonies such as India and Burma

Question 2

How did decolonisation develop in Africa?

Answer 2

• Britain’s post-colonial policy placed emphasis on developing African colonies, creation of policy enshrined in Colonial Development Corporation.
• Second World War accelerated economic growth of colonies in response to needs of war effort and this, in addition to growing industrialisation, led to new nationalist ideas.

Question 3

(Gold Coast, West Africa) Impact of WW2 regarding British influence in Africa?

Answer 3

• Administrators had anticipated during the war that the rise of educated African elite meant allowing some African political representation
• however, British wanted the change to be gradual and have no imposition on British interests.

Question 4

(Gold Coast) When/What was the Burns Constitution?

Answer 4

• 1946, The Burns Constitution was drawn up in the Gold coast
• named after Governor-General Alan Burns
• established Legislative Council with elected African members - but final power was still in the hands of the British Governor

Question 5

(Gold Coast) What/when was the Convention People’s party?

Answer 5

• The CPP, founded by Kwame Nkrumah in 1949
• pressurised British to make further concessions:
  
  • Legislative Council enlarged and
    renamed Assembly
  • number of voting rights increased
    But power still remained in hands of British Governor

Question 6

(Gold Coast) Impact of CCP/Nkrumah?

Answer 6

• Nkrumah was jailed in 1950
• but CPP won 2/3 of seats in 1951 and it became clear to Burns that CPP would rule following resistance
• therefore Nkrumah was released and given position of PM from 1952 with CCP members taking posts of members

Question 7

(Gold Coast) Nkrumah’s growing popularity/ elected govt impact?

Answer 7

• Elected govt given extensive control over internal affairs and Nkrumah’s popularity grew
• 1956, plebiscite in neighbouring British Mandate of Togoland gave vote for unification with Gold Coast
• Support for independence was so high that elections in 1957 passed on adult suffrage

Question 8

When was the Gold coast fully independent/Nkrumah’s later rule??

Answer 8

• Country became fully independent in 1957
• But Nkrumah proved divisive and authoritarian in later years of rule

Question 9

(Nigeria) When/What was the Richards constitution?

Answer 9

• 1946, Richards Constitution was drawn up
• named after Governor-General Arthur Richards
• Allowed for greater African representation
• But Governor General and Executive council appointed by Governor retained power

Question 10

(Nigeria) British approach to the divisions in the country?

Answer 10

• Nigeria was regionally and ethnically divided
• British took the view that any move towards an independent Nigeria should take the form of a federation of separate regional states
• Thus, 3 assemblies for each 3 major regions: West, East, South to debate local matters

Question 11

(Nigeria) What/When was the Macpherson Constitution?

Answer 11

• Greater pressure from nationalist movements forced the British to change the legislation
• 1951, Macpherson Constitution (named after Governor-General John Macpherson (he came after Richards)
• Extended the right to vote and created National Council of Ministers, answerable to a 185-seat Federal House of Representatives

Question 12

(Nigeria) Impact of the Macpherson Constitution?

Answer 12

• Stimulated the growth if Nigerian political parties, which began to compete in elections to the new House
• Each region strengthened its own govt and elected assembly
• stimulated growth of political parties as federal house could not over-rule regional governments
• ultimately exasperated ethnic tensions

Question 13

(Nigeria) Road to Independence? Ie- new political parties/govt?

Answer 13

• New political parties were established representing different ethnic groups - pushed path to independence
• Further revisions of constitution and federal elections in 1954 led to new govt formed consisting of 3 British with 9 ministers from various regional political parties (in order to strike balance)

Question 14

(Nigeria) More power to region/ when came Independence?

Answer 14

• More power was still devolved to regional govts following federal elections in 1959
• moves made towards full independence for Nigeria in 1960.

Question 15

(East Africa) What was the road to Independence like in East Africa and why?

Answer 15

• Much more violent in parts of East Africa
• Rapid economic growth brought urbanisation and greater political consciousness, activism, nationalist tendencies and labour disputes
• During the years of war, population of Nairobi increased by 1/2 while the population of cities doubled. Led to:
  
  • inflation
  • poor housing
    = fuelled protests

Question 16

(East Africa) How did Britain view East Africa/ its aspirations for the region?

Answer 16

• Britain saw East Africa as ideal for economic development, with a view to generating large dollar-earning exports.
• Example of British aspirations was Tanganyika Groundnut Scheme of 1946
• Was a huge failure which provoked East African peasants into supporting nationalist movements

Question 17

(East Africa) What was the Tanganyika Groundnut Scheme?

Answer 17

• In 1946, Britain and many countries experienced severe shortage of cooking fats
• idea emerged of growing large groundnuts which could be processed into cooking oil (In Tanganyika)
• Project involved investment of £49 million however the terrain proved difficult to cultivate and scheme was abandoned in 1951, the land turned into an uncultivable dustbowl
• fuelled nationalism

Question 18

(East Africa) Reasons for resistance in Kenya?

Answer 18

• Long simmering Kikuyu grievances at treatment by white settlers exploded into violence when white people sought to mechanise farming and displace peasant growers
• Prompted many to resort to violence and led to the Mau Mau Uprising

Question 19

(East Africa) what/when was the Mau Mau Uprising?

Answer 19

1952-56
- British army crushed the rebellion ruthlessly and divided Kikuyu people in doing so
- These tactics only weakened British moral authority and increased the support for nationalist movements across the region

Question 20

(East Africa) Granted Independence?

Answer 20

• Tanganyika granted independence as Tanzania in 1961
• Uganda in 1962
• Kenya in Dec 1963

Question 21

(Southern and Central Africa - S/C AFRICA) What was Control like in southern Africa?

Answer 21

• The white minority had enjoyed full control over South Africa’s internal affairs since 1931 at the Statute of Westminster.
• Racist Afrikaner policies dominated

Question 22

(S/C Africa) Impact of election in 1948?

Answer 22

• In 1948, Afrikaner Nationalist Party won power and implemented policy of Apartheid (came to represent a policy of racial discrimination and segregation)
• Non-white people were treated poorly and opposition emerged which was led primarily by African National Congress

Question 23

(C/S Africa) How did South African state respond to protest?

Answer 23

• Throughout the 50s and 60s, South African state responded with brutal suppression of all protests
• 69 protestors killed at Sharpeville in 1960

Question 24

(C/S Africa) British relations with South Africa/ International opinion?

Answer 24

• International opinion became critical of South Africa and relations with Britain grew strained: leading to South Africa leaving the Commonwealth(1961)
• This was because of Britain refusing to hand over adjacent lands administered by British Colonial Office (such as Bechuanaland, Basutoland and Swaziland) as well as apartheid
  (- However Britain granted these lands independence in 1966/1968)

Question 25

(C/S Africa) How did Britain attempt to counteract South African influence?

Answer 25

By building colonial possessions nearby:
- Northern Rhodesia (mineral rich copper province)
- Southern Rhodesia (agriculturally rich territory with a substantial white settler population)
- Nyasaland (a relatively economically undeveloped territory)

Question 26

(S/C Africa) What led to the establishment of the Central African Federation (CAF)?

Answer 26

• During WW2 the administration of these 3 new territories (N/S Rhodesian+Nyasaland) had worked together in the war effort
• British came to the view that a joint administration would provide an effective colonial counter-weight to SA.
• Thus, idea of a Central African Federation if the 3 territories emerged

Question 27

(S/C Africa) What/when was the CAF?

Answer 27

Central African Federation, created in 1953.
- Its constitution n included some protection for African rights (discriminatory legislation against Africans could be vetoed by Britain)
- Also limited provision for African representation in the new Federal Assembly but powerful nationalist movements emerged in all 3 territories led by Africans suspicious of British intentions
- White governors of CAF responded fiercely by arresting and imprisoning nationalist leaders

Question 28

(C/S Africa) Britains decision that decolonisation was necessary?

Answer 28

• By the end of the 1950s, Britain had decided tgat decolonisation was necessary
• in 1960-61, British govt ordered the release of nationalist leaders in Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland and drew up new constitutions for territories, which paved the way for majority rule

Question 29

(C/S Africa) When was the CAF dissolved?

Answer 29

formally dissolved in 1963

Question 30

(C/S Africa) Independence of Nyasaland and Northern Rhodesia? Who/when?

Answer 30

• Kenneth Kaunda led Northern Rhodesia to Independence (as Zambia)
• Dr Hastings Banda led Nyasaland to independence (as Malawi) - after Nyasaland experiences a state of emergency in 1959 with over 200 nationalist leaders arrested in Operation Sunrise.

Question 31

(C/S Africa) Southern Rhodesia road to Independence?

Answer 31

• very different path
• There, the white settlers were determined to avoid being absorbed into an independent Black-African country
• In 1961, when CAF looked doomed, a large section of the white population switched to support the new Rhodesian Front Party (dedicated to achieving independence but under white control)
• RFP won elections in 1961 and 65, PM Ian Smith illegally declared Southern Rhodesia Independent
• British sanctions proved unsuccessful and in 1969, Rhodesia became a republic - country plunged into a long guerrilla war between the ruling whites and the African nationalists