Early Colonialism in Africa
African colonialism by European settlers was generally driven by agricultural practices. The early colonisers based their decisions about areas of conquest and settlement on the richness of the land. Destinations where the resources could be acquired easily to provide them with the most basic necessities for survival like shelter and food were preferable. In order to obtain resources like minerals, spices, lumber and later slaves, which were sought by the European and Western societies, colonisers needed to ensure that they would be able to live on the land first, at least temporarily. The easier it was to obtain basic living necessities, the less challenging acclimatisation was for the individual or group.
The X-factor: Climate
Two types of climates on the continent dictated two different sets of challenges to conquest and settlement and therefore resulted in two very different types of colonialism. Tropical climates as found in central African countries along and spanning just north and south of the Equator provided the greatest challenge to colonialism. Extreme heat and rainy conditions and dense vegetation of the tropical forests made it difficult for the colonisers to cultivate the land themselves. Additionally, the dangers posed by wildlife and native tribes jeopardised their safety and undermined support and further emigration of their fellow European citizens to these regions. Commonly named Plantation colonies, the colonisers in these regions were forced to find ways to convince or coerce native Africans into providing the labour needed to extract the resources because they did not have the physical capacity or sufficient emigrated labour available.
Plantation Colonies
The most common practice adopted in Plantation colonies was the use of bartering with neighbouring tribes by exchanging weapons and European-made goods of low value for the manpower these native African tribes had to offer. As a result of this practise, Africans fought Africans on behalf of Europeans to conquer and colonise the tropics. The colonised land and its people were then forced into labour to extract the resources that were sent to Europe and the West. Plantation colonies consisted of a ruling system of absenteeism. This is where the colonisers did not establish vast settlements of their own people in the region, but rather ruled from afar or through “conduits”.
Often times these conduits were native Africans they were able to bribe or coerce into compliance. As these colonies were not considered long term investments for settlements, the exploitation and disregard for sustainable business practices was extreme. There was no consideration for the effects on local societies. In fact inter-tribal conflict was actively encouraged from colonisers. They provided support for the continued conflicts some of which we still see in these regions today. Examples of these include countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Central African Republic and others.
Settler Colonies
Conversely, certain temperate climates in Africa provided colonisers with a more conducive environment that was favourable to conquest and settlement as these were more similar to their countries of origin. These regions provided advantageous environments for foreign countries to send bigger armies who would endure less challenging conditions. It therefore allowed the settlers to send for their families and establish generationally prosperous communities.
As these settlers saw the land and country as their home, their strategy included relationship-based oppressive rule over the native Africans rather than tactics of violent absenteeism rule like in plantation colonies. The colonisers managed and over-saw their own land and labour. They were able to increase their population presence and implement long-term sustainable rule. These became the farming colonies we see today in South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and others. Birthed from these temperate climate conditions came a unique type of colonialism, aptly named “Settler colonialism”. Specifically, in South Africa and other countries like Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States, European descendants have laid claim to the land as their own “native home”. These cultures have integrated the European culture with the adopted way of living off foreign lands and created a cultural society of their own.
Conclusion
The effects of the type of colonisation experienced either as Plantation colonies or Farming colonies varied between countries depending on whether the climate was tropical or temperate. Therefore, the effects of labour and business practices as well as the associated economic development and progress have been vastly different across countries in Africa. Blanket approaches to improving societal practices based on these types of colonies will not be applicable universally. However, considerations for the cultural effects of the type and influence of the historical type of colonial rule should be strongly considered.
