There were about four groups of agents of industrial capitalism in Africa namely:
- Explorers
- Missionaries
- Traders
- Companies
- Association
Explorers
During the nineteenth century the major aim of European powers was the
exploration of Africa. In east Africa, exploration was done by the
prominent explores such as Speke, Burton, Grant, Samuel Baker, Henry M.
Stanley and Dr. Livingstone, while in central Africa and parts of Congo
the prominent explorers were Dr. Livingstone and later Henry M. Stanley.
And in West Africa the prominent explorers included Richard Lander, Dr.
Barth Mungo Park, Clapperton, Dr. Baikie, Gaspard Mollien and Cailie.
The journey of exploration was financed and supported by European
capitalists. The main aim was to gather information about Africa because
they needed a wider knowledge of the continent. They also wanted to
know about the raw materials which African had to sell and the location
of the main centers of population. Moreover, they were interested in the
knowledge of transport potentialities of African great river systems.
For example the British explorer, Mungo Park in 1780s, followed by
Clapperton and Richard Lander explored the Niger and gathered important
information about the economy and politics of West Africa.
Roles of explorers
They reported back about the potentialities of the African resources: Clapperton
reported about the river Niger to the British government while Speke
reported about the potentiality of Lake Victoria and named it Victoria
to honor Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.
They provided important information about the nature of African societies: They reported about thehostility,
calmness and hospitality of the African people. This information played
a central role for the European colonialists during the decision making
process regarding the colonisation of Africa.
They
explored important mountains and researched the geology, climatic
conditions, topography, lakes and animal species in Africa:This knowledge later attracted European powers to colonise Africa.
They
provided messages to their government about the existing evils of slave
trade and the areas where slave trade was still conducted:Dr.
Livingstone's third journey through Tanganyika and Lake Regions of
central Africa was targeted for that as a result he informed the English
that the Yao's land was still characterised by slave raids and the
effects of slave trade such as sufferings, insecurity.
The information provided by explorers to their government was later used
by humanitarians in the struggle against the colonisation of Africa.
Missionaries
By the 19th century missionary activities had started in Africa. The
pioneers were the protestant churches of Europe and America. It was only
later that Roman arrived especially from France. The domination of
missionaries were the London missionary society, the church missionary
society, Roman Catholic missionary society and the universities mission
to central Africa (UMCA).
Few Christian missionaries were directly active agents of imperialism.
They were essential ingredients of the increasingly assertive European
access to Africa. However In most cases European Christian played an
important role in promoting and shaping the advent of European
capitalism.
The Roles of the Agents of Industrial Capitalism in Preparing Africa for Colonisation
Explain the roles of the agents of industrial capitalism in preparing Africa for colonization
The role played by missionaries in the colonisation of Africa
They acted as interpreters and propagandists at the time of treaty making:Mofat
stayed among the Ndebele for about 30 years serving the British South
African company (BSAC) for treaty making between the companies (BSAC)
and King Lobengula.
They acted as advisors to African chiefs:The British missionaries of the church missionary society convinced Kabaka to accept protectorate.
They introduced Western civilisation to the interior through education and schools: Thisaimed to prepare people of low ranks to serving colonial masters at the time of colonisation.
Missionaries softened the minds and the hearts of Africans: Their
activities were influenced by European imperialists' interests by
preaching and emphasising the spiritual beliefs such as “give to God
what which belongs to God," and "give to Ceaser what belongs to Ceaser”.
In the long run this preaching weakened African opposition and shaped
the regions for future colonial administration.
They converted Africans to the new faith: They
were easily employed as puppets to extend colonial rule. Typical
examples are the converts of Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Ghana who were
able to protect the British economic interests and paved the way for
future colonisation by the British.
Missionaries reduced resistance among African societies: This was done by converting some societies and preaching obedience to administrators.
Introduction of new crops: Horner
grew coffee at Bagamoyo around 1870 the church missionaries society
grew cotton in Uganda. This prepared people to acquire the skills which
were important for future cash crop production during the colonial era.
They helped in the abolition of slave trade: Theyplanned
for successful Christianisation of the freed slaves as they preached
the word of God. They wanted to create the conducive and peaceful
environment for the development of legitimate trade which was
exploitative in nature and was after capitalists interests.
Missionaries had closer links with rulers and interfered even in political matters:They
allied European imperialism while they were working in the interior of
Africa. This situation provoked the hostility from African rulers. In
this case missionaries appealed strongly for the protection from their
home governments, which later led to effective colonisation.
Traders
Traders were among the first Europeans to visit the interior and coastal
areas of Africa. They came under the influence of capitalists who also
supported missionaries and explorers.
Their main aim was to exploit the new sources of raw materials, markets
and new areas in which industrial capitalists had to invest their
capital. Examples of traders are William Macknnon, James Stevenson,
Harry Johnston and Carl Peters.
The role played by traders in the colonisation of Africa
They opened a new a exploitative system: Therefore,
Africa became the target for European interests. This resulted in stiff
rivalries and competition among European industrial nations.
Introduction of circuit through legitimate trade: Thisinvolved
the importation of European manufactured goods. Thus, the chain of
dependence was created and the African local industries and the arts
were destroyed.
Traders exposed Africa to the world capitalist system of economy: The
use of currency, banking and credit facilities began to be witnessed by
Africans. This resulted into exploitation of African resources. The
fair and quick turns obtained by traders attracted European colonialists
to come into Africa.
They opened communication systems such as roads:This
laid the foundation for future colonial infrastructure. For example,
the road from Lake Nyasa to Tanganyika known as Livingstone road was
opened by traders and was used during the colonial administration.
Companies and associations
Companies and association were among the most important agents of
colonisation of Africa. Agents organised themselves into companies and
associations. They received finance from their home government so as to
operate effectively and differently in those areas, where the governing
powers had their economic interests. They aimed at financing the
exploration that showed the interest of coming to Africa.
Examples of the association included the Royal British Geographical
society, financed by John Speke to explore the river Nile. Another was
the African Association of British, which in 1788 financed Mungo Park.
Its major aim was to explore and identify the areas suitable for
agriculture, which could produce enough materials for export. Another
concern of that association was to identify the navigable rivers,
mineral deposits and assessing the market available for industrial
goods.
In the abolition of slave trade, merchant companies became increasingly
involved in the interior of Africa. The major aim of these companies was
to establish the so called “legitimate trade”. This was trade in
commodities and other resources that industrial capitalist required as
raw materials or as food for the urban working classes. The legitimate
trade did not involve the selling and buying human
Several companies in Africa were established at strategic points for the
purpose of collecting important commodities for export and supplying
manufactured goods from Europe.
In East Africa examples of these companies were the Imperial British
East African Company (I.B.E.A.C) founded in 1886 by William Macknnon. It
was also known as the British East Africa Association. Another company
was the Germany East African Company (G.E.A.C) founded in 1884 by Carl
Peters. In West Africa examples of companies formed included the Royal
Niger Company (R.N.C) which was formed by George Turban Goldie in 1884.
The association was concerned with commercial activities. King Leopold
expected that the company could improve the lives of native as well as
civilising them, exploiting natural resources and abolishing slave trade
and slavery in the region.
In central Africa the company prevailed was the Livingstone central
Africa Company (L.C.A.C). it was formed by Scottish capita lists James
Steven in 1878.
In south Africa there was the British south Africa company (B.S.A.C)
formed by Cecil Rhodes as a private company and operated in south and
central Africa by the year 1889, the company was given a royal charter
that included the full powers to administer the company.
The role played by companies in the colonisation of Africa.
Monopolisation and exploitation of African resources: These
resources were highly needed by the European capitalists in their
industries. In all parts of Africa Company played a crucial role of
collecting raw materials and carried out trade activities.
Elimination of local middlemen and creation of custom duties and tariffs: These was carried out by the companies which attracted the imperialists powers to control Africa.
The companies encouraged their home government to colonise Africa: For
example; the Royal Niger Company encouraged the British to colonise
Nigeria after gaining the control of the different trading areas in the
region.
Signing treaties: The
company played an important role of signing different treaties with
African local chiefs. These treaties helped imperial powers to claim and
justify the colonisation of particular territories, especially during
the Berlin Conference
One example was a treaty signed between Harry Johnston and chief Mandara
of Uchaga in 1884 to control thirteen square kilometers of land in
Kilimanjaro. Also Dr. Carl Peters of the society for German colonisation
signed treaties with a number of chief between Pangani and Rufiji.
These treaties were later used by the German government to control
Tanganyika.
Creation of infrastructure: These
included commercial centers, administrative headquarters, roads,
railways and waterways. They were allocated in those areas where they
operated where by later on were used by the imperial powers to transport
administrators to colonise and impose laws on the land.
The companies laid foundations for their home government to colonise African:They
suppressed African resistance through a police force used to maintain
peace, order and stability within the region. For example in East
Africa, the German East African Company recruited Swahili, Sudanese and
Buganda soldier to counter the coastal Arab resistance of 1888-1889.
They provided important information about economic potentiality of African areas:Africa was exposed to the imperial powers which aimed to colonise the continent.
The companies provided rudimentary administration in areas of their operation: Some
company leaders such as Sir. George Turban Goldie of the Royal Niger
Company, Harry Johnston, the representative of Cecil Rhodes of the
British South Africa Company, attended the Berlin Conference of 1884-188
5. They also notified the conference about areas where they operate on
behalf of their mother countries.
The company played an important role of marking of the administrative boundaries: Which
were later identified as boundaries of the European spheres of
influence. They prevented any other rival European imperial power from
taking their territories. This was evidenced in East Africa where the
German East Africa Company marked the area of the German in the
Anglo-German rivalry and achieved the 1886 agreement. While in South
Africa the British South Africa Company managed to map the claims of
Britain, thus preventing the Portuguese from interfering in the British
sphere of influence.
Furthermore, the companies used their security organs to abolish slave
trade in the areas of their influence. They introduced legitimate trade
in Africa.
PICTURES SHOWING TRANSITION TO CAPITALISM
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