Did Colonialism Change or “Transform” Africa “Forever”?
Did Colonialism Change or “Transform” Africa “Forever”? From 1440 until 1833 the Atlantic slave trade was the principle reason for “normal” relationships between Europeans and Africans. This trade, along with other forms of commerce, allowed for a healthy, friendly and somewhat fair relationship between Africans and Europeans. After 1833—and the end of the slave trade—the relationship between Africans and Europeans took such a significant turn that it would change the African continent significantly. Whereas Afro-centric scholars have argued that colonialism changed or “transformed” Africa “forever”, and that the African culture was evolving regardless of the past encounters or relationships with Europeans. Euro-centric scholars argue that Europeans made a positive impact in Africa. That European intervention allowed the African to modernize into the global community. The colonialism of Africa transformed the continent of Africa forever based on economical, religious, and political transformations that changed the continent and the development of African. The economic relationship with Europeans and Africans changed quickly after the abolishment of the slave trade. Europeans experiencing the Industrial Revolution required more raw materials in order to produce their products. Likewise, Slavery was no longer required and Europeans and Africans both transitioned to meet each other’s needs. The European perspective, given in Roland Oliver’s and Anthony Atmore’s Africa Since 1800, gave the British credit for stopping slavery and bringing progress to Africa. Moreover, they blame the Africans for continuing slavery through illegal shipments overseas which were intercepted by the British Navy. Likewise, the European also looked at commercial trading as mediation between inter-ethnic Africans at wars. Oliver and Anthony put the European perspective of Africa as one of chaos and of a “hobbesian” state of nature before common law was set by the Europeans (Oliver and