European Colonialism in Africa

Introduction
Colonialism refers to a governance system in which a powerful country takes control of a weak state by ruling its people and
exploiting its resources for economic gain. Colonials assume that they have the right to impose their will and authority upon
other countries. Most African countries were colonized by European countries in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The
main colonial masters included Britain, France, Germany, and Belgium among others.
These countries divided the African continent among themselves, thereby taking full control of its resources and people.
European colonization of Africa has traditionally been associated with negative effects. These include torture, discrimination,
overexploitation of resources, and slavery. In addition, the problems that are currently being experienced in Africa such as
political instability, economic crisis, and poor education are usually blamed on colonization. Nonetheless, it is also apparent that
European colonial masters made some meaningful contributions to development in Africa. This paper examines the positive
contributions of colonization in Africa. Concisely, I will argue that colonization benefited Africa in terms of improved education,
health care, infrastructure, industrialization, and governance.
Education
The introduction of formal education is one of the greatest achievements of the European colonials in Africa. Prior to the arrival
of the colonials, Africans did not have any formal system of education. Children were mostly taught at home by their kin and
village elders. The instructions focused on simple skills such as hunting, defense, as well as, the customs and traditions of their
society (Taiwo 45).
In this regard, African education was not scientific and lacked the capacity to spur meaningful social and economic
development. However, the colonials introduced a formal education system that enlightened Africans. In countries such as
Kenya, the British education system focused on three skills namely reading, writing, and arithmetic. Even though these are the
basic literacy skills, they were not included in the African system of education. In nearly all African countries, the colonials
established primary and secondary schools to educate Africans. Towards the end of the colonial era, some Africans from
countries such as Tanzania obtained scholarships to study in European countries.
The colonial system of education has had a great impact in Africa. Its value can be illustrated by the resolution of all African
countries to achieve universal primary education by 2015. In particular, formal education has enabled the children of peasants
to join admired professions such as teaching, nursing, and engineering among others (Taiwo 69). Formal education has also
enhanced economic development by enabling Africans to acquire skills that are needed in business and scientific advancement.
In social spheres, literacy skills have enabled Africans to connect with the rest of the world, thereby benefiting from the positive
effects of globalization.
Despite its benefits, the education introduced by colonials is always criticized due to its inadequacy. Most scholars believe that
colonial education was meant to enable Africans to serve their masters in a better way (Falola 115).
For example, educated Africans were appointed as chiefs in Uganda. Similarly, most scholars associate the current problems in
the education system of African countries with colonialism. The problems include inadequate teachers, poor infrastructure, and
lack of pedagogical skills. Additionally, the education systems in most African countries are ineffective because their goals do
not match the needs of society. Even though these problems do exist, they cannot be attributed to colonialism. On the
contrary, they are attributed to African countries, which have failed to invest in their education system, thereby making it
ineffective. Moreover, they have failed to shift the objectives of their education system from satisfying the needs of their
former colonial masters to satisfying the needs of Africans.
In light of these challenges, African countries must advance the quality and quantity of their teachers. The quality of education
can be improved if educators focus on outcomes, rather than just imparting abstract knowledge. This will enable students to
achieve the minimum skill level, thereby utilizing their knowledge to solve the problems that hamper development in Africa.
Furthermore, corruption must be eliminated in order to improve the quality of education (Taiwo 77). For example, the quality
of free primary education in Kenya and Uganda is very low because government officials embezzle the funds that are meant for
the program.
Health Care
European colonials are credited for the emergence of modern medicine in Africa. Before the arrival of colonials, Africans
depended on traditional medicine. This was characterized by the use of herbs and concoctions to treat certain diseases. In Sub-
Sahara Africa, many people depended on witch doctors to treat their illnesses (Curtin 123). The African form of medication
worked in some instances. However, it always failed due to its unscientific nature. In particular, prescriptions and diagnoses
were based on the herbalists’ judgment rather than scientific reasoning. Additionally, most people died of curable diseases such
as cholera due to lack of knowledge about the illnesses.
It is apparent that the western medication that was introduced by the colonials brought a breakthrough in Africa. The colonials
established hospitals that were later inherited by Africans at independence. In Zimbabwe, the colonial government provided
grants, which enabled Christian missionaries to provide medical services to Africans. The funds were used to pay for the salaries
of medical personnel, to maintain mission hospitals, to build medical training schools for Africans, and to purchase various
drugs (Curtin 142).
The information provided by the colonials concerning various illnesses helped Africans to avoid several diseases. In countries
such as Cameroon, the colonials introduced vaccination against diseases such as smallpox. Africans did the vaccination
campaigns under the supervision of their colonial masters (Curtin 146). In this regard, the campaigns did not only help to
reduce various illnesses, but also helped Africans to acquire basic skills in medicine.
The health care system introduced by the colonials is often dismissed as having achieved too little in the African continent. In
particular, critics claim that the colonials discriminated against Africans in the provision of health care. Additionally, the health
care system led to the abolition of African treatment methods. However, the colonials did not provide adequate health care
facilities, thereby exposing Africans to health risks (Taiwo 106).
Even though these problems occurred during the colonial era, they are not sufficient reasons to dismiss the contributions made
by colonials in health care. This is because countries such as South Africa, Ghana, and Libya have been able to achieve high
health outcomes due to their consistent development of new health care facilities and those that were left by the colonials. On
the contrary, inequality in access to health care is still a problem in nearly 80% of African countries because the governments
have neglected the sector (Taiwo 118).
For example, the mission hospitals in Uganda and Tanzania are not funded by the government as the colonials did. In this
regard, the problems facing health care systems in Africa are the by-products of mismanagement, rather than the participation
of colonials in health care provision. The fact that most African countries have failed to expand their health care facilities reveals
how difficult it was for the colonials to use their limited resources to establish adequate hospitals in their colonies. Nonetheless,
the colonials laid the foundation for modern medicine that continues to save the lives of millions of Africans.
Infrastructure
Development economists agree that basic infrastructure such as electrification, telecommunication, roads, railway systems,
and seaports are essential for the alleviation of poverty. Nonetheless, the infrastructure in pre-colonial Africa was grossly
inadequate. Electrification and telecommunication facilities were non-existent. Additionally, transportation had not been
mechanized in the continent. The most advanced African communities focused on the use of domesticated animals such as
donkeys to transport cargo (Curtin 178). Furthermore, some communities had managed to construct rafts and canoes, which
enabled them to provide water-based transportation services.
The arrival of the colonials changed the transportation systems in Africa through the introduction of modern technology. In
particular, the colonials focused on building roads and railway systems that connected the inland of their colonies to coastal
ports. Additionally, they introduced steam-powered trains and vehicles that improved the efficiency of transportation in their
colonies. Steam-powered sea vessels were also introduced to link the continent to the rest of the world through oceans (Gann
and Duignan 215). In order to use the sea vessels, the colonials focused on building seaports in nearly all their colonies.
Critics of colonialism in Africa argue that the infrastructure built by the colonials was meant to facilitate extraction of the
resources of the continent rather than to benefit Africans. However, the realities of post-colonial Africa refute this claim.
Concisely, nearly two-thirds of the railway lines that were built by the colonials linked their colonies to seaports. The Kenya-
Uganda railway line and the port of Mombasa are examples in this case.
These facilities are the backbone of economic development in entire East Africa. This is because landlocked countries such as
Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and Uganda depend on them to import the goods that they do not produce such as machines
and vehicles (Taiwo 129). Moreover, all East African countries depend on commodity exports to earn foreign exchange. In this
regard, the port and the railway line helps them to export their commodities efficiently.
Despite their importance, the transportation systems such as railways and seaports that were developed by the colonials in
Africa have hardly been expanded (Taiwo 156). African countries should focus on intensive investments in infrastructure by
improving or expanding the roads, railways, and seaports that were built by the colonials to achieve rapid economic
development. For example, India has been able to develop rapidly because the government embarked on expansion and
maintenance of the transport systems that were built by the British colonials.
Industrialization
The European colonials laid the foundation for industrialization in Africa. This involved the introduction of modern production
technologies and new cash crops, as well as a modern form of trade. In industrial production, the Colonials are credited for the
introduction of the factory system of manufacturing in Africa (Gann and Duignan 236). The Colonials also invested in reliable
sources of energy such as hydroelectric power and fossil fuels.
The factories employed thousands of Africans. Additionally, the colonials trained Africans on how to operate and to repair
simple machines. To date, most of the power generation stations that were built by the Colonials continue to be the main
sources of energy in African countries. After independence, the African countries nationalized the firms that were left behind by
the colonials. Kenya’s Nairobi Securities Exchange is an example in this case. The nationalized firms continue to provide
employment and revenue in most African states.
In agriculture, the colonials introduced the commercial farming system. Additionally, they introduced several cash crops, which
include tea, cocoa, wheat, and sisal (Curtin 285). These crops are the main source of foreign exchange in nearly all Sub Sahara
African countries. Furthermore, the agricultural sector employs more than 70% of the population of the continent. African
country’s focus on commercial or mechanized agriculture indicates that they appreciate its benefit in economic development.
The Colonials also changed the system of trade in Africa by introducing the use of currency in business transactions. The use of
money in commerce has enabled African countries to trade with each other and to access the markets in other continents,
thereby improving their economic growth. The contributions of colonials in trade and industry can be seen in the rapid
economic growth in the first decade after independence (from 1960-1970) in most African countries. Most countries achieved
an average GDP growth rate of 5% (Taiwo 261). Nonetheless, corruption, mismanagement, and poor policies led to economic
decline in the subsequent years. Thus, international bodies such as the World Bank and IMF should continue to assist African
countries to restructure their economies through policy formulation and financial aid.
Governance
Nearly all African countries have adopted the European system of governance. Concisely, most of them have governments with
three arms namely, the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary. Additionally, most countries have attempted to elect their
leaders through a democratic process (Falola 96). However, political instability is still rampant in the content. For example, most
West African countries have experienced a coup d’état and military rule. Furthermore, democracy is underdeveloped.
Concisely, leaders try to retain power as long as they can even if they are unpopular. For example, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe
has been in power since independence. Critics of colonization attribute these problems to the political system that was
introduced by the colonials. In a nutshell, critics argue that dictatorship or authoritarian rule in Africa is a legacy that was left
behind by the colonials (Falola 141).
However, the realities of pre-colonial Africa disapprove this claim. Traditionally, Africans were authoritarian because most of
their communities were led by chiefs and kings who had unquestionable authority and unlimited term of office. Democratic
elections did not exist in pre-colonial Africa. Additionally, there were no recognizable foreign relation policies. Consequently,
African communities focused on violent confrontations in order to access scarce resources such as grazing fields. In this regard,
the political problems in Africa originated from their traditional leadership system rather than colonization. Countries such as
Malawi, South Africa, and Tanzania that have faithfully followed the governance system that was introduced by their colonial
masters have remained politically stable since independence. On the contrary, Somali, Congo, and Nigeria have always had long
civil wars because they reverted to their pre-colonial tribal and clan-based politics.
The political problems in Africa require both internal and external interventions. At the internal level, African countries must
accept the benefits of the rule of law as was introduced by the colonials. They must rise above tribal politics by focusing on
building national unity and democratic systems of governance (Falola 167). In addition, the continent’s institutions such as the
Africa Union (AU) and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) should be strengthened. This involves equipping
them with adequate resources and personnel that will enable them to settle political disputes in the continent through legal
and military intervention.
Conclusion
This paper examined the positive contributions of European colonization in Africa. The benefits of colonization in the continent
were felt in education, health care, industrialization, infrastructure, and governance. In particular, the colonials benefited the
continent by building facilities such as schools, hospitals, factories, railways, seaports, and roads. Most of these facilities are still
being used in nearly all African countries.
The Colonials also provided services such as treating the sick and educating the masses. In addition, the colonials introduced the
modern system of trade and governance. Critics of colonization tend to associate the current political, social, and economic
problems in Africa with colonialism. However, most of the problems in the continent are the results of mismanagement and
negligence, as well as, the influence of traditional values and norms rather than colonization.
Works Cited
Curtin, Philip. African History: From Earliest Times to Independence. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2005. Print.
Falola, Toyin. Key Events in African History. London: Palgrave, 2002. Print.
Gann, Lewis and Peter Duignan. Colonialism in Africa, 1870-1960: The Economics of Colonialism. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007.
Print.
Taiwo, Olufemi. How Colonialism Preempted Modernity in Africa. London: Oxford University Press, 2010. Print.