COLONIAL BUREAUCRACY
“SUPER STRUCTURE”
Bureaucracy: A system of managing or controlling a country organization or company operated by a large numbers of officials employed to follow the rulers. Superstructure: A structure above another structure.
Colonial bureaucracy refer to a system of controlling the colony by employing a large number of workers, Africa and Europeans under colonial rules.
In colonial bureaucracy, the Africans were employed as teachers, nurses, medical assistants, police forces, clerks, soldiers, office attendants, farm officers, veterinary officers, cooks, messengers, lawyers, doctors etc.
THE AIM COLONIAL BUREAUCRACY (PURPOSE OF COLONIAL SUPERSTRUCTURE)
Provision of social services such as education, health, settlement, security and so on to the natives and the white settlers.
Maintenance of the colonial laws: The laws were implemented through the state apparati such as the police force, soldiers, courts etc.
Protection of colonial boundaries. This was done through the colonial militaries (soldiers).
The control of discipline in the colonies. For example the riots (strikes), demonstration, strikes etc. of the natives against the government or white settlers.
Maintenance of white supremacy over other races. The employment structure was set in such a way that the Africans were employed in lower ranks.
Collection of taxes: In the lower levels the local chiefs were involved in tax collection. Other people were employed as officers of the colonial treasury.
Protection of colonial interests such as production investment areas e.g. industries plantation, settlers residential areas etc. recruitment of cheap labor e.g. Migrant labor etc.
Creation of markets: The employment of the natives in various sectors gradually transformed them into new ways of life. This ensured a constant market for European products and a constant supply of the raw materials to the European industries.
Developing the countries: Various sectors contributed to the development of the colonial for the benefit of the European e.g. Transportation sector agriculture, mining etc.
NOTE: In this employment of the natives, the colonial government considered the natives academic (professional) qualifications and individual characteristics of the natives. These aims were also the function of the natives. These aims were also the fund of colonial bureaucracy.
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COLONIAL
BUREAUCRACY |
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MILITARY
BUREAUCRACY. |
CIVIL
BUREAUCRACY |
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Examples:- KAR {King African Riffles}, German colonial Armies,
Portuguese, French, and Belgium colonial Armies, Police forces, Security
Services etc. |
Examples:- Clerks, Teachers, Carpenters, Masons, Tax collectors, Cooks,
Messengers, Lawyers, Farm officers,Drivers, Veterinary officers, Engineers and others
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The bureaucracy was headed by the governors who controlled the ministers, the regional (provincial) district commission and others.
THE IMPACTS AND WEAKNESS OF COLONIAL BUREAUCRACY IN COLONIAL AFRICA
SOCIAL IMPACT.
Racial segregation and discrimination. The type of employment encouraged the separation of races. The natives were subjected to difficult jobs with low wages and salaries.
Favored the native royal families: The sons and daughters of chiefs were favored by the colonial government e.g. In the British and French colonies. There were special schools for the sons of the chiefs, special jobs for them etc.
Brutality and harshness to the natives: The police forces maltreated the natives. This made the natives feel inferior to the whites. E.g. In some areas, the natives were jailed without following the regular trial system.
POLITICAL IMPACT
Maintenance of the ruling class status: The political posts were always maintained by the whites e.g. the district and regional commissioners, governors etc. As time went on the natives started to be elected as the members of colonial legislative council (LEGCO).
The local government couldn’t be used to bring the social and economic development in their local areas they favored the interests of the whites.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
Low wages employed natives: The Africans were subjected to lower posts in employment and were paid low wages. They were also heavily taxed on the bases of income taxes.
Difficult working conditions such as extended working hours accompanied by the lock of allowances.
Complicated (annoying) / disgusting system in attending to the natives problems e.g. trials claimed by the natives on the colonial courts against employer.
