Meaning of Industrial Capitalism.
It was the second stage of capitalism whereby there was growth of industries in Europe which demanded raw materials to feed them.
Industrial capitalism began in England in the middle of the 18th century. Later in the 19th century, other countries began to industrialize. Among these countries were France, Germany, Belgium, Italy and U.S.A.
With the development of industries in Europe, these industries in Europe needed different demands in order for the industries to develop, these demands were as follows;
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Raw materials to feed the European industries which were both agricultural and mineral raw materials such as cotton, gold, iron etc.
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Expansion of markets, where to sell the manufactured goods.
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Labourers to produce raw materials.
These were European personnels who prepared the way of colonialism in Africa. The most prominent agents of capitalism were Traders, Explorers and Missionaries, others were associations and companies.
TRADERS.
The first Europeans to enter the interior of East Africa were traders. Most of these traders were BRITISH and GERMANS. They made Zanzibar their trading centre. From Zanzibar they extended their trading activities into the interior. Their activities mainly started after 1845.
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William Mackinnon.
A good example of such traders was Mackinnon from Britain. He formed a trading company called BRITISH EAST AFRICA ASSOCIATION based in Zanzibar.
In 1888 the association was granted a royal charter and became the imperial British East Africa Company (I.B.E.A.CO). It started operating in and administering Kenya and Uganda on behalf of the British government.
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James Stevenson.
He was a Scottish businessman, started a trading company known as Livingstonia Central African Trading Company. It operated along lakes Nyasa and Tanganyika.
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Harry Johnston.
This was also a British trader, who operated in Kilimanjaro and Upare areas before the 1886 Anglo – British treaty.
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Carl Peters.
After 1886, H. Johnston’s activities were superseded by those of the GERMAN EAST AFRICA COMPANY (G.E.A.CO). This company represented by Carl Peters in Tanganyika performed economic and administrative functions.
Roles of traders as agents of Capitalism.
Other Europeans came to Africa as missionaries. They started coming after 1844. The main motives of the Christian missionaries were to spread Christianity in Africa and bring European civilization into East Africa.
Although the aim of the missionaries was to spread Christianity, they were also exploring the interior of East Africa. Some of these missionaries were financed by capitalist companies or associations.
Missionaries who came to East Africa.
He opened the first Missionary center at RABAI in 1846. He came to Zanzibar as a representative of the CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY (CMS) of England. His aim was to convert the Galla to Christianity.
These joined Krapf in 1846 and 1849 respectively. They traveled extensively in the interior.
Many other missionaries followed after 1870. These belonged to different denominations such as:-
The roles of missionaries as agents of colonialism.
Although the motives behind the coming of the missionaries were to spread Christianity and civilization, through their activities they were later known as agents of colonialism as follows:-
EXPLORERS:-
Explorers were another group of Europeans who came into Africa to find more about Africa for the interest of capitalists in Europe. They traveled in various parts of East Africa and reported their findings to those who sent them. They made maps showing routes to the interior.
Explorers wanted to know commodities which could be produced in East Africa. They also wanted to know fertile areas, rivers the climate and the people who lived in East Africa. The explorers were financed by individuals and capitalists companies.
Important explorers.
He was one of the greatest explorers. He traveled widely between 1853 and 1873.
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He made several journeys to Central Africa and East Africa especially between the Coast and the regions around Lake Nyasa and Lake Tanganyika.
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His greatest role was that of opening up markets and source of raw materials in these areas.
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He provided very important information about the people and wealth of central and East Africa to European capitalists.
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In addition, he urged the capitalists to speed up the process of increasing trading activities.
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Indeed it was he who popularized the idea of colonizing Africa through commerce and christianity.
The roles of explorers in preparing for European colonization in Africa.
COMPANIES AND ASSOCIATIONS.
Among the outspoken agents of the colonization of Africa were chartered companies, which worked hand in hand with traders.
The notable chartered companies that operated in Africa included the following;
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The Imperial British East Africa Company (I.B.E.A.C), founded by William Macknon in 1886.
The roles of Trading Companies in the Establishment of Colonial Rule.
To abolish is to end the existence of custom, an institution etc.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the British who had benefited most from slavery and slave trade began to campaign for its abolition, first in Britain and its colonies, then the whole world. Why this sudden change?
(a)ECONOMIC FACTORS (REASONS)
(i) The rise of industrial capitalism (Industrial revolution).
With the invention of machines which replaced man’s labour, there was no need of taking slaves to work in mining and plantation hence its abolition. Also with the industrial revolution industries highly created the need of raw materials which could be produced by free society.
(ii) French and British competition in sugar production.
For long time the British had monopoly sale of sugar. The British sugar was produced in British West Indies by slaves. The British were selling their sugar at very high prices.
During the last quarter of 18th century the French West Indies embarked on sugar plantation in large scale and sold it very cheaply. In this way the French took over the British monopoly of sugar sales in Europe and after the American independence in America. This resulted into the decline of sugar production in the British West Indies. Therefore slaves were redundant and useless.
The abolition of slave trade was the best solution because:-
(b)SOCIAL REASONS
(i) Humanitarian factor:-
Argued to abolish slave trade as it caused too much suffering to the victims.
(ii) Evangelical reasons (religious).
It was abolished because God created men equally before him and so the slave trade was against the will of God. Hence slavery and slave trade are a sin.
(c)POLITICAL FACTORS.
This emphasized on liberty, equality and fraternity (brotherly feeling) hence its abolition.
With the American independence Britain lost her slave labour and market for her goods thus no possibility of exploiting her and hence the abolition of slave trade.
It can be concluded that, though all the above factors contributed to the abolition of slave trade the economic factors are regarded the most important factors (genuine reasons) which led to the abolition of slave trade.
Tactics used during the abolition of slave trade
The abolition of slave trade was not consented by every nation, hence it got some resistances. Hence Britain applied different ways to end slave trade and these were;
Such patrols were always armed so that they could intercept and seize vessels carrying slaves along the Indian ocean.
The Abolition of Slave Trade in East Africa
Slave trade was abolished in the three stages:-
In 1822, the British through captain Moresby concluded an agreement with Seyyid Said which stated that the Sultan should not sell any slaves outside his domain. Despite, the treaty, the flow of slaves continued.
This was signed by HAMERTON who was the British consul in Zanzibar, under this treaty no slaves were to be exported outside East Africa. The treaty failed because of the successful resistances of slave traders. The failure led to the third stage.
N.B:- Seyyid Said died in 1856.
This was signed between Seyyid Barghash and Sir. Bartle Frere who represented the British. It was agreed that there should neither be slavery nor slave trade in his domain. By this treaty the slave trade in Zanzibar was made illegal and the Zanzibar slave market was closed.
The Social and Economic effects of the Abolition of Slave Trade.
Social effects:-
Economic effects
It was the trade which dealt with material goods, such as agricultural produce, cloth, ivory and minerals rather than human beings.
In 1795 the British captured the cape and settled there.
Why did they decide to settle at the Cape?
(The motives for British interests at the Cape)
By that time they had established sources of wealth in India and the East Indies and they were getting a lot of wealth from there. They saw the need of having control of the sea route to India and the East Indies.
Hence they took quick steps to capture the cape for fear that it fell under the French, the latter would prevent British ships from stopping at the cape during their voyages to and from India and the East Indies.
The tactics used by the British to occupy the cape.
After capturing the cape, the British tried to win the confidence of the Afrikaners. They abolished the restrictions on internal trade which had been imposed by the company officials (the BSAC).
The Boer Trek (Great Trek) (1830 – 1850)
One of the great events in the history of the Europeans in Southern Africa was the great Trek.
The mass movement of the Boers northwards (into the interior) from the cape running away from the British with their belongings is historically known as the Boer Trek or The Great Trek.
The Boer leaders during the Great Trek were Pretorius and Josias
Hoffman.
Reasons for the Boer Trek
(Factors leading to the Boer Trek)
By the middle of the 19th century, many Boers had settled in Zulu area (Natal), others at Sotho – Tswana area (Present day Orange Free States and Transvaal).
The Boers declared these states republics. In 1857 the Boer-trekkers North of the Vaal River united to form the South African Republic. This union, however, was weakened by frequent conflicts among the individual republics. As a result the union was placed under British rule.
The effects of the Boer Trek.
The Boer trek brought about the system of apartheid which was based on racial segregation. Having occupied and established themselves in South Africa wished to preserve their material interests and to maintain themselves as a strong united group. They fulfilled this wish by maltreating Africans either as enemies to be eliminated or as a source of cheap labour.
N.B: Apartheid is a policy of segregation and separation based on races which was characterized by discrimination, exploitation, oppression, humiliation and all sorts of anti human rights. It was started by white minority in South Africa in 1948.
The Boers regarded the British as imperialists threatening their cultural and economic interests. This growing hostility between the Boers and the British colonizers led to the violent clashes between the two sides.
These clashes (wars) were into sessions