Tanzania Overview

Question 1

Question: What was Tanzania’s original name when it was a British colony?

Answer 1

Tanganyika.

Question 2

In what year did Tanganyika gain independence?

Answer 2

1961

Question 3

Who was the leader of the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU)?

Answer 3

Julius Nyerere.

Question 4

In what year did Tanganyika unite with Zanzibar to form Tanzania?

Answer 4

1964.

Question 5

What political party dominated the first elections in Tanganyika after independence in 1960?

Answer 5

The Tanganyika African National Union (TANU).

Question 6

hat significant political change took place in Tanzania in 1966?

Answer 6

A government commission recommended, and the country adopted, a one-party state.

Question 7

What was Julius Nyerere’s popular nickname, and why was he called that?

Answer 7

Mwalimu, which means “Teacher” in Swahili, because he was seen as a philosopher and an intellectual.

Question 8

What was the primary aim of the 1967 Arusha Declaration in Tanzania?

Answer 8

To promote self-reliance and economic development through the creation of a classless society based on African socialism (Ujamaa).

Question 9

What did the “Leadership Code” established under the Arusha Declaration prohibit?

Answer 9

It prohibited leaders from exploiting privileges, engaging in capitalist activities, owning company shares or rental properties, and receiving more than one salary.

Question 10

What were the main economic activities in Tanzania after independence?

Answer 10

The economy was primarily based on cash crops like sisal and groundnuts.

Question 11

What was the result of Tanzania’s switch to cash crops in the post-independence period?

Answer 11

It led to food shortages.

Question 12

What was Nyerere’s economic policy towards foreign businesses and industries?

Answer 12

Nyerere’s government nationalized industries, banks, and foreign businesses as part of its African socialist policies.

Question 13

What was the primary goal of Nyerere’s rural development program under Ujamaa?

Answer 13

To increase productivity and prosperity in rural areas by creating large, collectivized villages where people would share land and produce.

Question 14

What was one of the successes of Tanzania’s educational reforms?

Answer 14

The literacy rate improved significantly, with adult illiteracy dropping from 80% in 1961 to 20% in 1981.

Question 15

What was the cultural policy promoted by Julius Nyerere after independence?

Answer 15

Nyerere promoted “Africanisation,” which involved rejecting colonial administrators, promoting Swahili as a national language, and celebrating African culture and identity.

Question 16

What led to the collapse of African socialism in Tanzania by the 1980s?

Answer 16

By the 1980s, Nyerere admitted that Tanzania was poorer, not self-reliant, and not socialist, though there had been some improvements like reduced inequality and increased literacy.

Question 17

How did colonial economic systems influence post-independence African economies, like Tanzania’s?

Answer 17

Colonial economies were geared towards serving the needs of colonial powers, primarily through the export of raw materials and cash crops, which left newly independent countries dependent on foreign markets and vulnerable to price fluctuations.

Question 18

What was the impact of neo-colonialism on African economies after independence?

Answer 18

Many African countries, including Tanzania, remained economically dependent on former colonial powers, with foreign companies continuing to control major industries and extract profits from the region.

Question 19

What was a major cultural legacy of colonialism in post-independence African states?

Answer 19

Colonialism led to the promotion of Western cultures, legal systems, and education over indigenous African traditions, resulting in an educated elite that often rejected their own cultures.

Question 20

How did Tanzania’s one-party system differ from a multi-party democracy?

Answer 20

Tanzania’s one-party system aimed to avoid political divisions and ensure unity, while multi-party systems often led to political instability, which many African leaders saw as a legacy of colonialism.

Question 21

What were the three main features of African socialism as practiced in Tanzania?

Answer 21

No private land ownership, no social classes or divisions according to wealth, and a responsibility to cooperate for the common good.

Question 22

What led to the decline of African socialism in Tanzania by the 1980s?

Answer 22

Economic challenges, such as reliance on foreign aid and investment, and the failure to achieve self-reliance and economic prosperity led to the end of African socialism in 1985.

Question 23

What role did traditional African societies play in the development of African socialism?

Answer 23

African socialism was partly inspired by traditional African values such as communal land ownership, collective decision-making, and classless communities.

Question 24

What were the main weaknesses of Tanzania’s economic policies under African socialism?

Answer 24

Poor economic growth, continued dependency on foreign investments, food shortages due to a focus on cash crops, and a lack of industrial development.

Question 25

How did Tanzania’s policies under Nyerere aim to avoid the creation of a wealthy elite?

Answer 25

Nyerere’s government implemented the “Leadership Code” and promoted policies that restricted the accumulation of wealth, aiming for a more equitable distribution of resources.