NAME: ADEIZA RAHIMAT ORAHACHI

DEPARTMENT: MASS COMMUNICATION

LEVEL: HND I

COURSE: OUTLINE HISTORY OF AFRICA (GNS 320)

"Europe underdeveloped Africa" is a phrase coined by the Guyanese historian and

political activist Walter Rodney in his seminal work of the same title. It encapsulates the
idea that the historical interactions between Europe and Africa, particularly during the
colonial period, significantly contributed to the underdevelopment of the African
continent. This discussion will delve into various aspects of European colonization and
exploitation of Africa, citing relevant examples to illustrate the profound impact on
African societies, economies, and development trajectories.

Firstly, European colonization of Africa was driven by the quest for resources, markets,
and geopolitical dominance. European powers, including Britain, France, Belgium,
Portugal, and Germany, scrambled for control over African territories, often through
coercive means such as military conquest, treaties, and divide-and-rule strategies. For
instance, the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 partitioned Africa among European
powers without any African representation, leading to arbitrary borders that disregarded
existing ethnic, cultural, and political boundaries.

One of the most devastating legacies of colonialism was the extraction of natural
resources from Africa to fuel Europe's industrialization. European colonizers exploited
Africa's rich mineral wealth, including gold, diamonds, copper, and rubber, through
coercive labor practices and monopolistic control over resource extraction. The Congo
Free State under Belgian King Leopold II serves as a notorious example, where millions
of Congolese were subjected to forced labor, violence, and exploitation in rubber
plantations, leading to widespread suffering and depopulation.

Furthermore, European colonial powers implemented extractive economic systems that

prioritized the interests of the colonizers at the expense of indigenous populations. For
instance, cash crop cultivation, such as cocoa in Ghana and coffee in Kenya, was
promoted over subsistence agriculture to serve the needs of European markets. This
not only disrupted traditional farming practices but also made African economies
dependent on volatile global commodity prices, leading to cycles of boom and bust.

Moreover, colonialism inflicted severe social and cultural dislocation on African societies.
European colonial administrations imposed their legal systems, languages, and
educational curricula, often erasing indigenous knowledge systems and marginalizing
local customs and traditions. The legacy of colonialism continues to manifest in post-
colonial Africa, where inherited administrative structures and borders contribute to
political instability, ethnic tensions, and governance challenges.