Decolonization:Nationalism & Independence

Africa

Mr. BarchettoNotes #3

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

December 10, 1948 the UN General Assembly adopted the UDHR.◦Declaration is a set of basic rights and standards…it affirms everyone’s right to life, liberty, and security of person as well as the right to freedom of movement and the freedom of opinion and expression

◦Has it been successful?

Comparing Historical Documents:

Declaration of Rights of Man and the Citizen (1789)

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)

Articles:

Men are born and remain free and equal in rights. Social distinctions may be founded only upon the general good. 

The aim of all political association is the preservation of the natural imprescriptible [inalienable] rights of man. These rights are liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression…

Liberty consists in the freedom to do everything which injures no one else; hence the exercise of natural rights of each man has no limits except those which assure to the other members of the society the enjoyment of the same rights. These limits can only be determined by law…

Source: The Avalon Project at Yale Law School (adapted)

Article 1:

◦ All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in spirit of brotherhood… 

Article 3:

◦ Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person…

Article 7:

◦ All are equal before the law and are entitled without discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination…

 Article 26:

◦ Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. 

Source: United Nations

Looking at the two documents on the screen quickly jot down at least 3

similarities you see.

African IndependencePost WWII

◦ Europeans realized that colonial rule in Africa would have to end.

The Charter of the UN◦ Stated all colonial

peoples should have the right to self-determination

1957- the nation of Ghana was the 1st British colony to gain independence.◦ 1st president

Kwame Nkrumah

African Independence Look at the following map and

answer the following questions on your notes…◦1. Where in African are most

independent states being formed in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s?

◦2. According to the map what is the last African colony to achieve independence?

Dreams for Pan-Africanism

Even after independence some African leaders dreamed of unity of all black Africans, regardless of national boundaries.◦Pan-Africanists believed all African

peoples shared a common identity.◦African leaders included: Leopold

Senghor of Senegal, Kwame Nkrumah, and Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya

Kwame Nkrumah’s Dream

Nkrumah dreamed of joining the newly independent African states into a broader community“If we are to remain free, if we are to enjoy the full benefits of Africa’s enormous wealth, we must unite to plan for the full exploitation of our human and

material resources in the interest of all our people”

Dream partially realized…

Organization of African Unity (OAU)◦Representatives of 30 of the 32

independent nations of Africa met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to form the Organization of African Unity (OAU).

◦OAU was intended to foster unity among African nations. Headquarters were established in Addis Ababa.

◦The organization stood for the eradication of colonialism, mutual defense, and the promotion of the economic and social welfare of member states.

Reality hits hard…Challenges of Independent African Nations

ACTIVITY: 6 Obstacles African Nations Face After Independence. See worksheet for activity instructions.

Consequences of European Colonialism in Africa

1884-85 Berlin Conference established boundaries even though it mixed ethnic groups that didn’t want to be mixed or had preexisting ethic hatred/prejudice◦ Result? African nations

have endured decades of internal strife as they try to reconcile some of these ethnic differences

Decolonization methods varied according to the European nation that was in control, thereby handicapping some more than others, but making the transition poor for all.

◦ Britain, France: turned over the nations, but kept them dependent on their help in the form of aid, favored nation status.

◦ Portugal, Belgium, Germany: Ethically, morally and sadly destructive of the African nations that they were in control of. They didn’t leave those states in any condition to take care of themselves.

Consequences of European Colonialism in Africa

Result? Economic struggle because of reliance on one crop (monocropism), poor education, disorganized and disjointed societies without an identity. ◦ Uneven Development: Some African nations such

as Nigeria have developed as they have had the leadership and resources (petroleum) to cope in the 20th Century world. Others such as The Congo (DRC) have been struggling to survive largely because of the shape that they were left in when they were decolonized.

◦ Internal Strife: This refers to the struggle between those that collaborated with the colonial powers and those that did not. There is a division there now that the powers have gone. The collaborators know how the game works, but there is resentment by those that resisted. Once again, dividing society.

Consequences of European Colonialism in Africa

Murdock Ethnic Map (1959)-Each splash of color is a separate ethnic group with their own languages and traditions…

Conflicts in Africa by Ethnic Region: Why do you think there are so many conflicts in these areas?

GENOCIDE Genocide means any of the following

acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

(a) Killing members of the group; (b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to

members of the group; (c) Deliberately inflicting on the group

conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;

(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;

(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

Why does it occur?

1. CLASSIFICATION: All cultures have categories to distinguish people into “us and them” by ethnicity, race, religion, or nationality.

2. SYMBOLIZATION: We give names or other symbols to the classifications. We name people “Jews” or “Gypsies”, or distinguish them by colors or dress; and apply the symbols to members of groups.

Classification and symbolization are universally human and do not necessarily result in genocide

unless they lead to the next stage, dehumanization.

8 Stages of Genocide:

3. DEHUMANIZATION: One group denies the humanity of the other group. Members of it are equated with animals, vermin, insects or diseases. Dehumanization overcomes the normal human revulsion against murder. At this stage, hate propaganda in print and on hate radios is used to vilify the victim group.

4. ORGANIZATION: Genocide is always organized, usually by the state, often using militias to provide deniability of state responsibility

5. POLARIZATION: Extremists drive the groups apart. Hate groups broadcast polarizing propaganda. Laws may forbid intermarriage or social interaction. Extremist terrorism targets moderates, intimidating and silencing the center.

8 Stages of Genocide:

8 Stages of Genocide:6. PREPARATION: Victims are identified and separated out

because of their ethnic or religious identity. Death lists are drawn up. Members of victim groups are forced to wear identifying symbols. Their property is expropriated.

7. EXTERMINATION begins, and quickly becomes the mass killing legally called “genocide.” It is “extermination” to the killers because they do not believe their victims to be fully human.

8. DENIAL is the eighth stage that always follows a genocide. It is among the surest indicators of further genocidal massacres. The perpetrators of genocide dig up the mass graves, burn the bodies, try to cover up the evidence and intimidate the witnesses. They deny that they committed any crimes, and often blame what happened on the victims.

Essential Questions:How did former European colonies gain independence, and what challenges did they face after independence?

- What challenges did new African nations face?

- How has political self-determination changed life in Africa?