Impact Of Colonialism In Africa

Register to read the introduction… Many pre-colonial African nations and kingdoms varied in respect to their polities and general structure. For instance, some lived in small families or clans, with authority and leadership usually given to the elders, while governed under kingdoms encompassed large areas. In pre-colonial Uganda, there were an array of kingdoms ranging from the Buganda to the Ankole and even the Toro. Before the advent of present day Uganda, the area “was a heterogeneous area, with a variety of customary practices, social and political structures.” However, with the introduction of the European system of nation states, this introduced the idea of specifically demarcated boundaries and the idea of an absolute sovereignty, which in most cases were the European …show more content…
However, with the introduction of colonization, the source of power was ultimately held by the European power. In the case of the British Protectorate in Uganda, the British maintained power by indirect rule. In this system, the British, would rule through traditional kings and chiefs, with the stipulation that these kings and chiefs maintained allegiance to Britain and ruled according to their the crown. This allowed Britain to easily extract resources, while not having to create a new society or expand their European population in Africa. In addition, this also allowed for continued colonial support and dependence on the colonial. As long the African leaders continued to rule according to Britain’s wishes, these colonies would not be able to stand on their own. Second, this style of governance also allowed for those to rule indiscriminately, without having to deal with the traditional checks and balances of the past. This type of governance would introduce the authoritarian and Big Man rule the continent will eventually be known