1.2. Colonial Rivalries of European Powers
Why Did European Powers Colonize Africa?European colonial penetration into Africa passed through several stages and involved different methods. The nature of contacts between Europe and Africa changed over time depending on the changing interests of the Europeans.
Before 1500, Europeans regarded Africa as the "Dark Continent" because it was not well explored or well known. The Mediterranean coasts of Africa and some other coastal regions were exceptions. When the early Euro-African contacts of the fifteenth century began, the major interest was trade in profitable commodities such as gold, ivory, and slaves.
However, with the Industrial Revolution and the emergence of new powerful nation-states, the interests of European powers toward Africa changed significantly. The new colonial interests of the European powers brought both conflict and cooperation among them. This was the era of imperialism, or empire-building, through territorial conquest for exclusive economic control.
Why Was Industrial Europe in Search of Colonies?
Two major developments in Europe during the late nineteenth century increased European interest in the scramble for and partition of Africa.
1. European capitalism (industrial capitalism) in the nineteenth century needed overseas colonies mainly for economic reasons. This was the basic factor behind the colonial rivalries among European powers. Industrial Europe needed new sources of raw materials and markets for manufactured goods. Europeans also needed new areas for investment.
2. Africa provided many opportunities for investors, including rich deposits of gold, diamonds, copper, and other minerals, which could be profitably exploited and sold in the industrial world. Raw materials were abundant in Africa. Investment opportunities in Africa were greater than in Europe because land and labor were relatively cheap.
3. The emergence of Germany and Italy as newly unified nation-states changed the balance of power in Europe. This led to increased international competition. Several European powers wanted to acquire large colonies. For instance, the British were very keen on expanding their colonial possessions. They were so successful that, by the end of the nineteenth century, they proudly claimed that "the sun never sets on the British Empire."
With these motivations, European powers were in constant rivalry with one another. The British intended to build a colonial empire stretching from Cairo in Egypt to Cape Town in South Africa by conquering territories in between. The French had a similar ambition and wanted to establish a vast colonial empire extending from Djibouti in the east to Dakar in Senegal in the west.
These two powers came close to war at Fashoda in Sudan in 1898, in what became known as the Fashoda Incident. However, they avoided war by reaching an agreement, and the French forces withdrew, allowing the British to establish control over the vital waterway.
European Conflict and Cooperation in the Scramble for Africa
The competition for acquiring colonial territories in Africa is often referred to as the "Scramble for Africa." Several immediate factors contributed to the start of the scramble in the second half of the nineteenth century.
The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 made Egypt and the surrounding regions the center of rivalry between Britain and France. Following the British occupation of Egypt in 1882, Britain and France became bitter rivals throughout the rest of Africa, each trying to undermine the colonial ambitions of the other. The direct involvement of King Leopold II of Belgium and Germany in the colonization of Africa further intensified the competition for colonies.
In the Horn of Africa, Italy, France, and Britain were actively involved. To check French expansion beyond Djibouti, formerly known as Obock, the British encouraged the Italians to control Massawa. After the Egyptians evacuated the area, the Italians occupied it in 1885.
The scramble gradually led the colonial powers to seek an understanding among themselves. There was a need for agreements on how to partition Africa without going to war. Such an agreement was reached at the Berlin Conference, held from November 1884 to February 26, 1885. The conference was organized by Otto von Bismarck, the Chancellor of Germany, in order to divide Africa peacefully among the European powers.
