The 1970s were a time of escalating wars of liberation in mozambique, angola, namibia, and zimbabwe. Western powers viewed african independence through the lens of the cold war, which rendered african leaders as either prowest or proeast. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Southern africa independence and decolonization in. It captured the imagination of a new generation of idealists who enthusiastically proclaimed their belief in racial equality and individual liberty. Some european governments welcomed a new relationship with their former colonies. The decolonization of africa was one of the turning points in the history of the postwar world.
There was widespread unrest and there were organized revolts in both northern and subsaharan colonies, especially in. Khapoya, in his assessment of performance before the portuguese coup, found that the worst twelve african countries in terms of support for liberation movements. Decolonization in africa and panafricanism yonetim bilimleri dergisi. Western africa western africa decolonization and the regaining of independence. The end of the colonial period and the establishment during 195776 of all the former colonies as independent states was attributable both to a change in european attitudes toward africa and the possession of colonies and to an african reaction to colonial rule born of the economic and social changes it had produced. The liberation of africa from european rule followed on the heels of the independence gained by india and other colonies in asia. The process of decolonization in africa 1042 words. In fact, the european renaissance of 1400 marked a watershed in the systematisation of slavery and colonial expedi tions by european nations. Britain, france and the decolonization of africa ucl discovery. Doc decolonization of africa and asia khairun mohamed. Western africa decolonization and the regaining of. Decolonization of asia and africa, 19451960 office of the historian. The decolonization of africa took place in the midtolate 1950s to 1975, with sudden and radical regime changes on the continent as colonial governments made the transition to independent states.
In the same year the average annual salary of a french manual labourer. Through the process of decolonization that began, in most african territories, at the close of world war ii, african leaders. The decolonization of africa followed world war ii as colonized peoples agitated for independence and colonial powers withdrew their administrators from africa. Issues of interest the 15th century marked a significant moment in the history of the world with the birth of renaissance. The process of decolonization in africa was a long and tedious battle between the imperial powers and the africans. By the late 1960s the few remaining nonindependent african countries were all in settlerdominated southern africa. The decolonisation of africa unisa institutional repository. In 1945, when the second world war ended, africa had only four independent states. The impact of the second world war on the decolonization of africa. South african independence african national congress a black nationalist group led opposition to apartheid and the whiteled govt the anc and other opposition groups along with international pressure finally ended policy of apartheid in the late 1980s.
After world war ii ended there were an independence movements around the world, especially in africa. African philosophy and the decolonisation of education in. The decolonization of africa took place in the midtolate 1950s to 1975, with sudden and radical regime changes on the continent as colonial governments. The liberation of africa from european rule followed on. The process of decolonization in southcentral africa and the high commission territories was generally peaceful. The decolonisation of africa university of south africa. Naively, most african leaders believed that they could navigate the political land mines of the cold war through political neutrality.