Reflection Paper

Reflection Paper

Core Issue: Colonialism is a period that Western development workers would gladly forget. However, the legacy of colonialism is still evident in the unequal relations between Africa and Europe. Europe's colonial rule in Africa began to dissolve in the mid-20th century. Some scholars are of the opinion that, after all, the short-lived colonial period was not very relevant to current developing countries, and that this should be overlooked , while others completely disagree.

During colonialism, old elites were ousted and replaced by a new, Western elite. However, they did not have their own political or economic decision-making power. They were virtual states that served the needs of their mother country at the expense of the needs of their own inhabitants. In addition to the lack of decision-making power, the colonies suffer from chronic money shortages, which prevented them from investing in the development of their country and society. Tax funds went to the cash registers of European mother countries and the only way to raise money for the development of society was to borrow from the mother country.

The colonizing countries were also forced to participate in the monetary economy through various monetary and tax reforms. Africa had its own currency units, all of which were invalidated at the beginning of the colonial rule and forced people to spend European money. In order to make better use of the resources of the colonies, commodity producers require the colonial countries to invest in infrastructure development. At the same time, however, the elite of commodity producers remained above or beyond the colonial political culture.

Key Insight: I was surprised to learn that during the colonial period, the military played an important role in maintaining social peace, and this problematic role is still evident in many former colonial societies. The era of colonialism brought about a rapid and difficult social change and brought about an end to the development of African states only to be replaced by a European colonial model. Indeed, many African political leaders, even after the colonial era, have embraced the military as a major maintainer of social order. At the time of the coups of the 1960s and 1970s, the military often felt that it was the only one that could maintain and respond to peace in society.

The era of colonial rule is the first time in the history of the African continent that sub-Saharan Africa shared a common experience. The idea of ​​Pan-Africanism grew in popularity during the inter-war period both on the African continent and globally among the African diaspora. The image of Africa, which began after the Second World War and during the period of the collapse of colonial rule and the independence of the African states, began to divide and diversify. Many African thinkers developed African self-image and self-awareness.

Critical question: I am still wondering that development of the modern era is based on colonialization only or there are some other factors are still important like globalization .

Implication : Now, half a century after the dismantling of the system, there is a general debate about what remains of the colonial legacy. Some tend to think that the legacy of colonialism can no longer explain the social problems of the African continent, since the system lasted for a relatively short time and was dismantled a long time ago. However, despite its short life, the colonial era was a significant period in African history and its legacy is still affecting many continental states. During colonialism, the economic and political structures of many of today's African societies were shaped and created, and the era was also significant in shaping the global economic system. The colonial economy is also discovers the identity of certain actors of the development and the relations that they maintained between them. The cultivation of "industrial" plants (coffee, cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla etc.). The colonial economy discovers the identity of certain actors of the development and the relations that they maintained between them.