Why was there a Scramble for Africa in the late 19th Century? (68/100)

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Matthew Finucane        S#: 6086152        PSI

Why was there a “Scramble for Africa” in the late 19th Century?

        

        In order to understand why the “Scramble for Africa” came about  it is essential to understand the situation in Africa and its relationship with Britain around that time. As the first post-industrial nation Britain and its financiers held the dominant position on commerce in Africa amongst the Great powers. In 1879 for example Britain accounted for 65% of the shipping and 85% of the tonnage in and out of Zanzibar despite competition from the United States of America, France and Germany. William Langer saw there was some interest in colonisation amongst Britain's “bankers and speculators who saw in the movement unusually good 'diggings'.” but the consensus amongst those engaged in trade in Africa, as observed by John Flint, was that although the “protection of consul and gunboat” were essential for the safety and survival of their commercial activities they harboured “no wish to pay for it by the regular taxes of a colonial regime”. Bernard Porter stated in his somewhat provocative book The Absent-Minded Imperialists that about this time the British Empire “rarely aroused any great interest in parliament” and amongst the electorate was a “peripheral fact, which rarely surfaced”.

Even if there had been considerable desire for colonisation  Africa at this time was a perilous place and very inhospitable, especially to European colonialists. Although African armies at the time could be easily beaten mosquitoes carrying malaria had a devastating effect on  expeditions into the mainland, sometimes killing as many as 60% of a party within a year. It was not until the 1850s when quinine was first used systematically by Baikie that expeditions became less dangerous and deeper penetration into Africa became plausible. At about the same time there were developments in transportation and specifically of armed steam ships capable of bringing the full military might of modern European power to the difficult to navigate rivers and deltas and inland to previously uncharted territory. Advances in technology however, were not the cause of the scramble for Africa. Even after the use of quinine became widespread, for example, it would be another thirty years before any serious colonial ambitions would be acted upon.

This is because of the position Britain occupied; there was no need for colonies whilst there was no significant competition to their hegemony. This meant that Britain was free to pursue humanitarian and scientific activities in Africa. Reginald Coupland observed that at this time in British government although there were ideas and schemes for colonisation of East Africa and for new economic possibilities “these were secondary or auxiliary features. The predominant interest was scientific and humanitarian.”. There was considerable action taken by missionaries and their desire to bring 'enlightenment' to uncivilised Africa evident in the contemporary publication by the Reverent Hughes of Dark Africa and the Way Out in 1892, a book extolling the virtues in the bringing of civilisation and Christianity.

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Expeditions were financed by state leaders in Britain to bring civilisation through commerce and Christianity like those of Livingstone. At the time of this speech Livingstone was at the commission of Lord Palmerston and said “I go back to Africa to try to make an open path for commerce and Christianity”. The difference between the earlier expeditions and those embarked upon by Stanley Morton and Pierre de Brazza, financed by Belgian and French governments respectively in the late 19th century, are evident of the fundamental change in policy and objective made by European states at that time. No longer was the ...

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