The New Colonialism, c. 1945-1960

1. The New Colonialism, c. 1945-1960 HI177 | A History of Africa since 1800 Term 2 | Week 3 | Dr Sacha Hepburn

2. A ‘New Colonialism’ • Colonies as essential to post-war recovery in Europe – source of raw materials and wealth • A more assertive and ambitious colonial state emerges • Also intended to bring development and prosperity for African societies • Not always welcomed by colonial subjects who resented increased colonial interference in their lives

4. A Shift in Economic Policy • Early colonial economic policies led to ‘underdevelopment’ – extractive, exploitative economies; settler economies; African societies pulled into unequal economic relationship with Western world • Late colonialism of 1940s onwards – shift in economic thinking • Planning • Corporatist cooperation between companies and unions • State intervention • Investment in welfare and development

5. The ‘Second Colonial Occupation’ • ‘The Colonial Empire means so much to us that we should be prepared to assume some burden for its future. If we are unable or unwilling to do so, are we justified in retaining, or shall we be able to retain, a Colonial Empire?’ – Oliver Stanley (1945) • From mid-1940s: greater government funds were made available for colonial development • E.g. 1945 Colonial Development and Welfare Bill provided £120 million - £30 million to West Africa • Boom in cash crop prices • Role of marketing boards (and resentment of African producers)

7. Tanganyika Groundnut Scheme • 1947-1951 • Initiative of British government and Unilever • Aim: to grow groundnuts (peanuts) on a large scale in Tanganyika in order to increase the production of edible oil for the British market • Wider goals: health and social welfare, promotion of scientific agriculture to Africans

8. Outcome: An overall disaster - low yields, targets for land clearance and harvest not met, transport problems, strikes, area left in ruin Derailed train in Tanganyika at the time of the Groundnut Scheme, 1950

9. African Reactions to Rural Development • Range of projects: soil conservation, compulsory cattle dipping, crop rotation, cattle-culling • Aimed to alter peasant economies and increase productivity • European misunderstandings and insensitivity often provoked hostility – particularly enforced cattle-culling • Politicisation of peasantry and growth in anti-colonialism from late 1940s • African nationalists capitalise on growing resentment and anger

10. Legacies of (Colonial) Developmentalism • Independent African states accepted assumptions of colonial development: a universal path towards human development based on the implementation of scientific knowledge • Recast as patriotic projects, to be of benefit to African populations • Pursuit of national Development Plans • Donor funding: World Bank and International Monetary Fund • Technical assistance from Western experts and academics

11. Conclusions • Colonial economic policymaking was top-down and oriented towards the West • Colonial officials overwhelmingly focused on the interests of western corporations and settler farmers • They neglected, repressed or overtly sidelined the potential for indigenous capitalism • Post-colonial African populations continue to face the legacies of this economic history, with governments trying to achieve economic development on unequal terms