The 1884 Berlin Conference clues you on how Africa got divided into 190 countries we live in today. This blog post is about the importance of this conference and why this will have a far reaching impact on Africa, as well.
Understanding the Context
By the close of the 19th century the European powers began to have a growing interest in Africa for its potential for trade and wealth. However, in Africa conflicts would arise between nations fighting for territorial control, there was no clear rules or agreements in place.
The German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck had convened the Berlin Conference officially referred to as the Congo Conference. Ideally, it sought to control European colonization and minimize antagonisms through the fashioning of a blueprint to divide up Africa between the participating European powers.
The Main Objectives
The Berlin Conference had several key objectives:
1. Define Rules for African Colonial Expansion
A conference was held, to provide guidelines for European colonial power to follow when claiming Africa. It included setting out the requirements such as effective occupation, treaty with local rulers, notification to other European nations so as not to bring on clashes in territories.
The conference provided a framework for colonization to minimize conflict between European powers burning to get their feet on the African continent. All the same, it is also worth pointing out that none of African representatives attended the negotiations or were representing the concerns of the people there of African descent.
2. Formalize the Principle of Effective Occupation
The principle of effective occupation required European powers to show possession over a territory by showing that it was actually occupied. It proved to be a cornerstone criterion in determining who owned what area in Africa. It stimulated European powers to spread out their clout and put administrative authority over African territories.
And so, in batting for this principle, the traditional African governmental manner of doing things tended to be ignored, as they could be inconsistent with European criteria of centralization of administration. Additionally it set a precedent for colonization and totally undermined the sovereignty of African nations.
The Consequences
The repercussions of the Berlin Conference were significant:
1. Africa Divided and Colonized
European powers counted that this was the beginning of the formal colonization of Africa. As a result of the conference Africa was divided into arbitrary territories, usually with no respect to pre-existing African boundaries, cultures, and ethnic groups.
The divide created European colonies across the continent, exploited Africa’s resources, could result in forced labour and forced the installation of European cultural and political system.
2. Legacy of Borders
Anything imposed on Africa arbitrarily at the conference had a lasting impact on Africa’s political, social and economic landscape. Many of the borders that were created also ignored the distribution of ethnic groups naturally, thus generating tensions, conflicts and staying unstable.
The imposed borders became the root of various inter – tribal conflicts of ethnic groups being thrown into a single country against their will. It has often resulted in civil war, tensions along ethnic lines and problems of nation building.
3. Influence on African Nationalism
The Berlin Conference made a great impact in the development of African nationalism. The migration of Africans into Europe instigated resistance movements from the 20th century against the colonization.
In return to African intellectuals and leaders were lifted under the weight of European domination, who gave up ideas of self determination and a right to their own territories. The conference both armored and strengthened the rise offrican nationalism and is responsible for the eventual decolonization of the African continent.
Conclusion
Key event in African history: the 1884 Berlin conference which decided on the course of the continent for centuries to come. Formalizing European colonization was not its only significance; its impact on African politics, and on the struggle for independence was also enduring.
By understanding the implications of the Berlin Conference we get to the complexities of Africa’s history and the challenges it’s faced to date. With the realisation of what this conference entails, we can strive towards a deeper understanding of the so called African continent and the intricacy of what pluralism or respect for difference means.
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