History Form 3: Causes of African Resistance
There four major causes of African reaction to the colonial rule; These includes the following. History Form 3: Causes of African Resistance
(a) ECONOMIC CAUSES
1. Land alienation; whereby Africans arable fertile- land was taken by the colonialists and they became landless. The land was the major live hood of African it was grabbed from them and distributed to the white settlers and colonial state plantations as to reduce the African to mere suppliers of cheap labor to the colonial plantations.
2. Imposition of taxation by the colonialists. From the 1898 head tax was levied on all adult Africans in the colony of Tanganyika, at least 1 year or its equivalent this amounted to at least a month’s wage on white-owned mine or two months or more on the white- owned farm. Later alone other taxes like hut tax, gun tax, Matiti tax, aimed at forcing Africans to provide cheap labor to the colonialist plantations and social service, and to facilitate colonial administration expenditure. Such heavy taxation led to mass uprising of the African to oppose colonialism.
3. Cattle confiscation so as to break the backbone of African economy and to be forced to integrate into capitalist economy. The African societies who were pastoralists that depended much on the cattle for their live hood, people like the Herero, Masai, Sukuma, their cattle were confiscated.
4. Forced labor and forced cropping, Africans were forced to produce cash crops and also forced to provide cheap labor, e.g. Kipande system in Kenya. In places were production did not exist, migrant Labour was carried out, the adult men were to move in the areas of production were only substance wage was provided, accommodation was provided for only one person, the work’s family was there for to remain at home in some far-off rural area and try to grow enough food to feed themselves.
5. Provision of low wages of African who worked on European farms mines and office the major aim was to-break the self-sufficiency African rural economy. It was no longer enough for the family to feed, clothes, and house itself. And on top of that cash was to be found to pay taxes regardless of the family’s income.
(b) POLITICAL CAUSES
1. African local rulers were thrown from their administration and lost control of their people and independence in general where by the colonialist establish the notorious colonial rule. Thus resistance to the colonial rule.
2. Africans lost their control over their trade that they controlled and benefited from. The colonialists established the so called ‘legitimate trade’ which isolated the African traders, like Abushir and Bwana Heri who lost control of trade at the coast, Jaja of Opobo, the Mandika Sarnori all these resistance as to regain their trade control.
3. Destruction of African agriculture, which led to the problem-of hunger and famine. The colonialists opened cash crop plantations hence resistance.
(c) COLONIAL INJUSTICE AND OPPRESSION
1. Corporal punishment like caning of the lazy Africans
2. Destruction of African culture and introduction of western culture
3. Racism and segregation of Africans.
4. Intimidation and violence to the Africans.
Objectives of African Resistance.
1. To regain independence and their sovereignty this had been taken away by colonialists
2. To maintain peace and order in their society which they had experienced before the coming of colonialists.
3. To pursue and maintain African freedom which prevailed before the coming of colonizers.
4. To retain Africa self sustaining economy which was based on substance agriculture.
5. To fight and get rid of foreign domination of Europeans to make them go back to their home countries.
6. To avoid humiliation and subjugation of by the foreigners.
7. To fight against land alienation and cattle confiscation.
8. To establish African trade this had been overthrown by slave trade and the so called legitimate trade.
3. Alliance or Collaboration
This was another technique/ way or method of imposing/establishing colonial rule where by colonialists united or cooperated with some societies which had enmity by supporting one side to defeat the other then colonize all together.