...always in contention with one another. For every civilization that triumphs, others must suffer. For a majority of human history the strongest nations were comprised into a group known as the West. The west is home to the ideologies of democracy, capitalism, and consumerism. The idea of democracy has been forced upon many nations in the world by the Western states. Democracy however has been shown to be a very easily manipulated system. Capitalism has shown the need for expansion and exploitation over Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The west has always been in contention with other nations, along with contending with each other. Competition between western nations has led to a technological race and an arms race, which is now more apparent than ever in the United States. With military might came the need to take over other nations and thus the ideas of imperialism, and nation aristocracy. Africa, Latin America, and Asia has suffered and continues to suffer a great deal because of the triumph of the west through exploitation, expansion, and wealth, all major goals of capitalism and imperialism. The West has retarded the development in all facets for many countries in Africa, Latin America, and Asia and thus led to the suffering of the world. One of the oldest ideologies from the west to the world is democracy. Democracy comes from the Greek words “demo” meaning people and “kratia” meaning rule, therefore rule of the people. Democracy is an egalitarian system of governance...
Words: 2729 - Pages: 11
...Q7. Discuss the Contribution of either Julius Nyerere or Kwame Nkrumah, in the promotion of Pan Africanism. Introduction Pan Africanism is an ideology and movement that encourages the solidarity of Africans world wide.It is based on the belief that unity is vital to economic, social, and political progress and aims to “unify and uplift” people of African descent. The ideology asserts that the fate of all African peoples and countries are intertwined. At its core Pan-Africanism is “a belief that African peoples, both on the continent and in the Diaspora, share not merely a common history, but a common destiny” The largest Pan-African organization is the African Union. Kwame Nkrumah “I’m not African because I was born in Africa; I’m an African because Africa’s born in me.” Kwame Nkrumah Early Life Education Kwame Nkrumah, was born in approximately 1909 in the town of Nkroful, in the Nzima region of present-day Ghana. His father was a goldsmith by trade and kept many wives, although Kwame Nkrumah was his mother’s only child. His early education was conducted at local missionary schools, and his aptitude enabled him to attend the Government Training College in Accra in 1926. At the Government Training College, Nkrumah was trained to become a teacher and graduated in 1930 (Adi, 2003: 144). He worked as a teacher for five years and although during this time period he also contemplated a move into the priesthood. In 1935 Nkrumah decided to take his studies abroad. After a shorter...
Words: 2337 - Pages: 10
...HIS 102: Paper # 1 Imperialism There are many different opinions about imperialism and the “Age of Imperialism.” From a variety of people, like economists, writers, soldiers, and senators, all vary in opinion and idea about imperialism. This essay compares and contrasts the views from a J. A. Hobson, Rudyard Kipling, Frederick Lugard, and Albert Beveridge. In J. A. Hobson’s document, “Imperialism,” Hobson argues that the motivation for imperialism was not driven by the well being and advantages for the nation, but by the interests and private gains of different social classes. By reading this document, you can get the impression that Hobson felt that imperialism was a result from demoralization of certain classes. According to Hobson, imperialism was not just inessential for a nation, but obscene as well. This clashes with why Hobson felt that the underdeveloped countries were so desirable to build their economic assets with. He summarizes that these desirable and fortunate investments appealed to the favored classes because it gave these classes more than what was needed in sources of income. Also, Hobson was one hundred percent against imperialism and argued that the impact of imperialism was negative. In the text he states, “It is the besetting sin of all successful States, and its penalty is unalterable in the order of nature” (456). That statement lets the reader know exactly how Hobson felt about imperialism and its impact as a whole. Hobson even mentions in the text...
Words: 1149 - Pages: 5
...DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND AFRICAN STUDIES FOURAH BAY COLLEGE UNIVERSITY OF SIERRA LEONE Module: History of Pan-Africanism (HIST 417) First Semester, 2008 Instructor (Lecturer): Dr. (Professor) Alusine Jalloh Name: Josephus J. Ellie Final Year, History and Politics Research Paper (Term Paper) Topic: “The Role of Kwame Nkrumah in Pan-Africanism” Table of Contents 1. Introduction 3 2. Key Factors that Influenced Nkrumahs’ Pan – African Motives 6 3. Nkrumah’s Roles in Organizing Key Pan-African Events 8 3.1 Nkrumah’ Contributions to the 5th Pan-African Conference 8 3.2 Nkrumah in promoting African Unity 10 4. Nkrumah’s Writings and Pan-Africanism 15 5. Conclusion 16 6. References 17 Introduction There is no one way to define Pan-Africanism. What constitutes Pan-Africanism, what one might include in a Pan-African movement often changes according to whether the focus is on politics, ideology, organizations, or culture? Pan-Africanism actually reflects a range of political views. At a basic level, it is a belief that African peoples, both on the African continent and in the Diaspora, share not merely a common history, but a common destiny. This sense of interconnected pasts and futures has taken many forms, especially in the creation of political institutions. One of the earliest manifestations of Pan-Africanism...
Words: 3968 - Pages: 16
...30% of Africa’s population and most of African territory (5 million square miles) where under British control. By doing this Britain was able to gain the ‘Lion’s share’ over the other European powers which were competing for control in Africa. On the other hand by the end of the 20th century Britain’s influence in its African empire had shrinked dramatically. The process of colonization which mainly took part between 1870-1914 and decolonisation which started from the end of the Second World War until 1981 took place due to many and various reasons. Some of the reasons include Imperialistic and nationalistic feelings of the British people and of the Afrikaners , military conflicts, political actions and economic reasons. This essay will try to prove that the most important reason which influenced British relationship with its empire in Africa between 1870-1981 were economic reasons to a great extent as each and every action of the British leaders concerning Africa was either purely based on economic interest or had an indirect economic motive. To begin with before the 1870’s British policy towards its African empire was mainly focused on informal imperialism. This type of control was mainly focused on trading agreements as Britain did not establish territorial control. The primary purpose focused on purely economic interests. However everything changed during the period of the 1870s. The shift of British policy towards formal imperialism reflected a significant shift in Britain’s...
Words: 2248 - Pages: 9
...Nowadays imperialism evokes a negative emotion and idea. It is looked down upon as an old fashioned, cruel way of life. However, like everything in life, it has its pros and cons. To be able to make a definite decision, we first need to understand fully what imperialism is. Countries that endorse imperialism feel the desire to compete with other countries in order to gain tycoon, boost national pride and expand territories to spread science, laws, and religion. An important benefit of imperialism is the development of modern technologies, like steam-powered ships to aid in the expansion of European empires. Due to imperialism, exploration was in the minds of people. Their motive was to explore unidentified territory in order to perform scientific...
Words: 572 - Pages: 3
...History always requires us to place things in their context and to avoid judging the past through the eyes of the present. But this is not true and it’s actually the opposite looking at the ideological forces that have shaped North (First World) and South (Third World) countries relations for half a century. In this essay one will be looking at the question of to what extend can the process of colonialism be blamed for the problems being experienced by developing countries today? Also matters pertaining to African migration, the spread of Islam, gold and slaves will be included in this essay as they are central to the process of colonialism. Towards the end of the last century, with a long history already behind it European colonization branched out in quite different forms according to the place and the interests of the metropolis. According to Thirlwell (1994:60) it was “a transitional period in which brutal power relations existed alongside paternalist feelings of responsibility towards natives who needed to be civilised” thus, great powers put the then dominant ideas into practice opening up the way to the so called “development” (Thirlwell, 1994). According to Rist (1997:100) “colonialism is a practice of domination, which involves the subjugation of one people to another”. The term colony comes from the Latin word colonus, meaning farmer. Thus, one believes that this root reminds us that the practice of colonialism usually involved the transfer of population to a new...
Words: 2499 - Pages: 10
...powers began the race to imperialism. Because of this contest to colonize the New World, extensive trade networks were formed across the known world. Goods from the Africans went to the British colonies, and goods from the colonies went to the mainland to later be distributed across the globe. The goods traded varied from bourbon and rum to guns and bows and arrows to the item people wanted most: slaves. Between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, nearly 10 million to 20 million Africans were enslaved and...
Words: 479 - Pages: 2
...oppression, torture and various atrocities committed in many parts of the world. This paper will focus on the notion that both in the Third-World and the West, states have used human rights discussion as a political tool, which has weakened arguments for its universality. This perspective will be utilised to break down arguments made against universal human rights before presenting alternative conceptions of universal human rights and identifying developments which may ensure they can be universally applied and respected. It is important to first define the theoretical basis of ‘universal’ human rights. Universal conceptions argue human rights are inalienable, self-evident and applicable to all human beings (Donnelly, 2003, 10). These arguments are often linked to origins in Western philosophy and natural law, developed from philosophers such as John Locke (Langlois, 2009, 12). Many scholars maintain that human rights are ‘pre-political’, thus unchangeable and unaffected by cultural or political variation. Donnelly identifies the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the basis in establishing the “contemporary consensus on internationally recognised human rights” (2003, 22). Human rights hold universal values which should be adopted by states worldwide. A common challenge to this view is the concept of cultural relativism. What the West may consider universal norms in human rights are not applicable in other cultures. Human rights are argued to have developed from Western culture...
Words: 2646 - Pages: 11
...1. Review the timeline for the Literature of the Harlem Renaissance 1919-1940 on pp. 1377-1378 of the Norton Anthology of African American Literature and identify what you believe are three primary events that occurred and explain why you believe they had a significant impact on the period. The three primary event is: a. In 1919 W.E.B. Dubois organized first Pan American Congress in Paris. b. In 1920 ratification of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote. c. In 1923 – 33 the Harlem Renaissance The three events had a significant impact because women could not vote in the election as men could and vote their opinions on who they want as President. The Harlem Renaissance was a rebirth and express of African American culture as...
Words: 635 - Pages: 3
...If one would approach the average American about what comes to mind when asked about their impression of the continent of Africa, there would be several uninformed viewpoints. Most of these myopic opinions are shaped by television sound bytes, and some are formed from generalizations. There is truth in stereotypes, but that truth is an incomplete narrative. With the exception of Afghanistan, Africa holds the position of listing the top twenty poorest countries in the world. (anetki.com) Aggregates of poverty yield disease, famine, and conflict which have all compromised Africa’s homeostasis. What seems to evade the average American’s conscious is that Africa was not always a continent filled with such calamities, or viewed as a collection of nations dependent on foreign aid. The continent has two distinct, defining periods that characterize Africa’s struggles. Evidence shows that western colonization of Africa began its destruction while contributing to dependency. The irony is that Africa’s dependency is exacerbated in the post-colonial era. Colonialism is not implemented achieved to bolster good faith with a new trade partner, but to serve the colonizer’s geopolitical or economic interest. (Gordon) When conversations begin concerning Africa and Africans, it seems that the continent and its people are treated as one monolithic block instead of collection of nations with vast diversity. This would be tantamount to grouping China and India together, because the two...
Words: 1244 - Pages: 5
...The Great Plains— To the Point Geography- West of the MS River *1800 Territory in the plains included North Dakota & South Dakota, Nebraska, and states such as Texas * Great Plains had very hot summers and very cold winters, very rainfall which droughts few sources of water very few trees - conditions not fit for farming *Before the late 1800s U.S. settlers did not settle the plains. Farming The Plains *Farming the plains was difficult * Gov’t encourage settlement by passing the Homestead Act -$160 acres -$10 registration fee - live on farm land for 5 yrs *Houses was made of sod because of lack of trees Farming Technologies - Cast Iron wingmill- allowed them to pump waterfrom wells. - Steel plow- to wooden plow would break in dry hard earth of the plains Cattle Industry Mechanical binder- tied and cut the grains or crops simultaneously - barbed wire- replaced wooden fences Rise of cattle industry -abundance of cattle in Great Plain -herd of cattle numbering about 2,500 were taken on long drive (cattle trails such as the chilsoln trail which was San Antonio, Texas to Abliene, Kansas) to Ship stations in Kansas and Missouri -African American Cowhand- Nat Love Decline Of cattle industry -overgrazing -overproduction costs the product to drop -weather (droughts, blizzards) -barbed wire led to development of cattle ranches ...
Words: 2076 - Pages: 9
...Study Guide For Final Examination 1. Examine the process and the transition from the more traditional "putting-out" system to the rise of the factory system. What would be the economic and social implications of this change? (Class notes and Bentley & Ziegler, chapter 29) World population was growing, so there was a demand for more finished products. Before the factories, products were produced out of people’s homes and the process took a lot of time. The factories opened and centralized the materials (and people making the products) getting made to one place. The rise of factories came about with new technologies and new machines. Entrepreneurs worked with scientists (engineers) to make machines to mass produce the goods. Started with the textile industry (imported from India and then British government banned the imports of textiles from India and then the demand became greater) because the demand for textiles was not being met with the “putting out” system. Spinning machines made thread and then the flying shuttle would weave to make cloth. Social implications included opening of schools – even for women on a positive side and as a negative side, it led to overcrowding in the cities (which led to theft and prostitution), unemployment (people traveled to the cities to work in the factories and there weren’t enough jobs to go around), health concerns (sanitation and pollution) and child labor. Economic implications would include the rise of the two different classes –...
Words: 2380 - Pages: 10
...Dystopia Regrettably it is at this point that we find a gradual switchover from Utopia to Dystopia - societies whose planning is far from ideal, and which all too often come to grief. As a concept, Dystopia emerges at the end of the long Eighteenth Century, possibly as a result of social upheaval and the long wars. it comes to the fore towards the end of the Nineteenth Century with gloomy forebodings as to the impact of industrialisation. Some go for a mechanical paradise. Others foresee a world order where things have got beyond repair - and that's not just the machines. Jack London in The Iron Heel (1908)sees the collapse of the American republic between 1912 and 1932 with the rise of 'The Oligarchy' (though he also thinks that international worker solidarity will avert a world war in 1913). Dystopia is highly pessimistic in tone. It traces what happens when things go wrong, either in an ideal world which has gone into crisis or decline, or else is a portrayal of of a world where society has collapsed at some time in the past. It is form of writing with a moral - and a warning. The irony is that reality can be stranger than fiction. The finale of The Mission is a case in point. The humanitarian goals of the Jesuit Fathers ironically contained the seeds of destruction for the Missions. The presence not only of rational Indians, but Christianised ones who were highly skilled proved to be too much of a temptation for the bandeirantes, slavers who came across from Brazil and...
Words: 3201 - Pages: 13
... The first is the importance of the Civil War and Reconstruction in setting the stage for the great industrial growth and development in the late 19th century. The second theme is the impact of industrialization in late 19th century America--economically, politically, socially, and culturally. A third theme centered on the emergence of an aggressive America foreign policy that in general sought to export American values and ideas so as to bring order to the international scene. The fourth major theme is the rise of progressivism in the first two decades of this century. Like the unions and Populists before them, the Progressives responded to the tremendous impact of industrialization and corporate capitalism on American society, however with much more success. A fifth theme centers on the American entrance into World War I and the war's impact on American society and politics. A sixth theme is the conflict over values and power in American society. Different groups (African-Americans, KKK, nativist/anti-immigrant, socialists, women, etc) with their own unique visions of what American society should be came into conflict over whose vision should predominate. A final theme is emergence of a powerful, welfare state in the form of the New Deal which finally addressed in a large-scale and systematic effort the negative consequences inherent in capitalism and industrialization. Below are some questions that should help you prepare for the first midterm. These are not the actual questions...
Words: 1041 - Pages: 5
