THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COLONIAL ECONOMY IN EAST AFRICA
The Europeans used the following methods (tactics) in establishing their colonial economies in Africa I the 19th and 20th Century.
The creative method.
The preservative methods.
The destructive methods.
CREATIVE TACTICS (METHODS)
The Europeans created and imposed new elements of economy into Africa traditional economies. Some of the elements were present but in small scale. They introduced such elements are:-
Money economy: In the pre-colonial economy, barter system of exchange was dominant. The Europeans introduced money system to be the only mode of making transaction.
Cash crop production: During the pre-colonial era the Africans produced food crops for Subsistence purpose. The Europeans introduced cash crops such as cotton, coffee, Tobacco, sisal etc. they were produced in Africa for export. They were produced by the white settlers and native peasants.
Land alienation: The natives were removed from their fertile lands to allow European investors activities. The natives were left with small plots of land or pushed into the reserve land.
Cheap (hired) labor: The natives were directly or indirectly forced to offer their labor force to the Europeans. The natives opted to be hired by the Europeans so as to obtain money for paying taxes and buying taxes and buying other items such as food which they lacked as a result of being alienated from their land. The criminals were forces to work without payments.
Taxation: The colonialists also introduced various types of taxes so as to strengthen to their economies. The natives were taxed by the colonial government.
PRESERVATIVE TACTICS (METHODS)
The Europeans preserved some elements of African traditional economies which seem to suit their economic interests. They preserved such elements as
The use of family labor: In pre-colonial era, an African family i.e. Father, mother and children join their effort labor in cultivation and other activities. During the establishment of cash crop production, the natives were provided seeds and technical assistance on how to care for the cash crops by the natives at a very low price. The family labor needed no supervision costs. The natives also produced their food crops without depending on the Europeans.
The use of a hand hoe as the main tool of labor. Europeans preserved it so as to create market for European hand hoes and also to be used as tool of labor for peasant and settler production.
Peasant agriculture in some areas. This was also a means of producing raw materials for European industries.
DESTRUCTIVE TACTICS (METHODS)
The Europeans destroyed the elements of African traditions economies which threatened the prosperity of their colonial economies. They destroyed elements such as:-
Destruction of native handcraft industries: They insisted that, in order to ensure markets for European commodities in Africa. The skilled natives were forced to leave their careers and be hired by the Europeans. Some were subjected to torture e.g. cutting their hands etc. typical example being the natives of Belgian, Congo, African technology was also destroyed by the importation of low priced high quality goods from Europe which was the choice of the final consumers in Africa.
Destruction of African medicine: It was considered as a sin before God and witch craftiness to use roots and leaves offered by African local doctors as medicine for sick people. This ensured markets for European medicine.
Destruction of African trade: The African merchants e.g. The Yao, Kamba, Nyamwezi, Ibisa, Ovimbundu, Imbangala and the barter system of exchange were destroyed in favor of European merchants.
Note: The Europeans also established their colonial economies through creating, destroying and preserving their social services related to economic production. They created the state apparatus e.g. Police forces and armies to ensure safety in production. They destroyed the African informal education through established of colonial formal education so as to prepare the skilled labor which would facilitate the prosperity of their colonial economy.
THE SECTORS OF COLONIAL ECONOMY IN AFRICA
A sector is one of the areas into which the economic activity of a country is divided. The following were among the main sectors of economic activities in colonial Africa.
Agricultural sector.
Colonial industries.
Mining sector.
Transport and communication.
Colonial labor.
Trade and commerce.
Colonial social services.
