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Compare Patterns and Results of Decolonization in Africa and India from 1914-Present

I!. Patterns
A Why it happened (In Africa AND India)
1!. In Europe
a!. Losses of resources and man power plus post war problems led to the loss of European power
b!. After the trauma and extreme destruction in the World Wars European countries did not want to fight anymore and found it easier to let go of some colonies
c!. Most countries were preoccupied repairing post war problems to worry about their colonies
2!. In the colonies
a!. Colonies were tired of being controlled by Europeans and wanted more rights, this was true more than ever because colonies were being taxed and over worked in order to pay war debts
b!. The Great Depression significantly lowered the income colonies received for their agricultural goods (mostly cash crops)
c!. Western-educated natives in colonies became fed up with being ruled by the Europeans and developed a sense of nationalism, which began to thrive in the colonies driving them to strive for independence


B What happened
1!. India
a!. India was mostly motivated to gain independence because of the lack of natives in government positions
b!. British placed unfair taxes on Indians in order to pay for war debts
c!. British and Indians disagreed about home rule
1) British promised Indians home rule in return for troops, but later went back on that promise
2) Indians felt British rule interfered too much with their lives and was unfair
3) The denial of home rule gave Indians more incentive to become independent
d!. leaders arose in Indian demanding independence
1) B!. G!. Tilak called for independence early on utilizing boycotts and targeting the British Government
2) Mahatma Gandhi changed the Indian National Congress into a mass movement by attracting peasants, then launched a nonviolent movement in the 1920s, then gained more independence for India in the 1930s through his peaceful protests (cloth boycott, salt march, “quit India”)
3) the Muslim League, lead my Muhammed Al Jinah, became involved in Indian independence when Britain went back on the Partition of Bengal
d!. Amritsar (1919) turned many Indians against Britain (massacre of Indians who were practicing civil disobedience by a British general) as did the Rowlatt Acts which led to Amritsar
e!. After WWII, India finally gained its independence from Britain through peaceful protests and civil disobedience which showed Britain that they would not be able to control so many Indians
2!. Africa
a!. Decolonization delayed by an increase of power to Europe in the 1950s and by World War II
b!. African nationalism was promoted
1) by the 1930s nationalist leaders emerged such as Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, and C?te d’Ivoire
2) Western-education introduced nationalism and self-determination
3) urbanization arose as a result of reduced amount of transport to and from Europe, this brought an increased literacy rate which allowed nationalism to be spread in newspapers and periodicals
c!. Around the 1960s Africa began to gain independence
1) Algeria first won its independence from France
2) A large amount of equatorial Africa decolonized during the 60s
II!.!. Results
A India
1!. Even more tension between Hindus and Muslims
a!. Gandhi assinated by a Hindu for his efforts to unite Hindus and Muslims
b!. War between India and Pakistan after the death of Gandhi
B Africa
1!. Political instability
2!. Economical disaster
a!. Because Africa was controlled for so long, the economy began to develop later than that of nations on other continents
b!. Many countries, such as Kenya, were not technologically advanced at all and were forced to industrialize after the other nations of the worldWww@QuestionHome@Com

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India, in 1914, was part of the British Empire and as such, it became a source of soldiers for the war in Europe!. India had been a divided by a cast system and two religions that the British exploited in order to control what was suspected to be the most heavily populated colony in history!. India had been controlled by Europeans for so long that it had become the keystone in the arguement that only empirical power could keep peace in such places!.
Racism was rampant!. Obviously, God was an Englishman!. As WW1 progressed and more manpower was needed from colonies, England made promises to allow more home rule!. These promises would be made to Hindu groups or Muslim groups to encourage divisions!. Riots would break out and often the politicians that represented India would be killed!. As the first World War ended a new Indian leader became the pre-eminant anti-colonial force!. Most of the world called him Ghandi!. In India he was the Mohatma, or great soul!.
He taught his followers something different, non-violence!.
In numerous confrontations Indians did not riot, they forced the English to quit the feild or to be the obvious brute!. England controlled the market on woven cloth!. It was illegal to buy cloth made anyplace other than England!. Ghandi began his movement with mass burnings of English cloth and 400 million people began spinning their own cotton and making homespun cloth!. The modern Indian flag contains a spinning wheel!. The English conceeded!. Trhey tried to negotiate with Ghandi, but time after time he forced them to arrest him by violating laws that were meant to humiliate Indians!. They had become servants in their own house!.
Ghanda caught onto the government salt monopoly and began his walk to the sea!. Hundreds of thousands followed and openly broke the law by making and selling salt that wasn't taxed by England!. This filled the prisons fast!. It was rapidly bankrupting England to rule a colony!.
At one point a high ranking army officer ordered his troops to open fire on non-violent demonstrators!. Hundreds of women, men and children were killed!. The moral authority to rule India was all but lost!.
Ghandi was imprisoned in a palace during WW2!. America and other allies would pressure England during the war to give up its empirical designs!. FDR particularly despised empires and was in a hurry to divest America of holdings that appeared empirical!.
In 1947 England sent the last governor to the colony!. Lord Mounbatten presided over the ceremonies that would create two nations!. India and Pakistan would set themselves up as similar democracies!. As the Muslims left India to live in Pakistan and Hindu's left Pakistani areas to live in mostly Hindu India, massive riots broke out!.
Before either nation could establish a government, war was virtually inevitable!. Ghandi, a Hindu, went to a Muslim's home where he began a fast!. His fast would only stop if the violence ended!. It did!. The people of India and Pakistan stopped there fighting for the sake of one old man!.
As Ghandi went to speak to the crowds of people a lone gunman in the crowd stepped up and shot Ghandi!.
India and Pakistan have not been at peace since!. India is the worlds largest democracy!. Pakistan has suffered with military coups, poor leadership, and civil war through it's short history!. The two countries have both aquired atomic weapons and have gone to the verge of using them on severl occasions!.
Pakistan has been an ally to America and China!. India has alligned itself with the Soviet Union as a client state!. As the Soviet Union disintegrated India has become a closer friend to America!. Pakistan, China and India have all fought over the northern province of Kashmir!. It is one of the worlds great flash points today!.
British politicians such as Winston Churchill predicted the violence of the last sixty years in India and Pakistan!. As Ghandi said, "Any people would prefer their own bad government to a government imposed by an outside power!."!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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