Decolonization: Causes and Global Impact
Concept and Causes of Decolonization
The concept of decolonization defines the historical process by which the colonies of European empires won their independence. It was a relatively fast process, since it only lasted thirty years.
Impact of World War II
World War II showed the world the weakness of the European imperial powers: France and Britain were defeated in the first years of the conflict, and Germany and Italy were defeated at the end. The myth of invincibility was definitely broken. The European colonies had engaged in war with soldiers and resources and had also fought in their own territory against the enemies of their metropolis. Guerrilla training and the inclusion of colonial troops in the armed forces served to train many militarily, who later led independence processes. Hopes of independence were related to the development of ideas of freedom and democracy, which formed the ideological force to defeat Nazism and fascism. It was very difficult to deny the colonies the same principles that legitimized the political systems of the metropolis.
Emergence of Anti-colonial Movements
After the war, nationalist and emancipatory movements arose in the colonies. Their ideological origins came from three sources:
- The Communist International, who spearheaded the creation of parties of this ideology around the world. In some colonies, these parties led the struggle for independence (Indonesia and Indochina).
- Ideologies advocating recovery and dignity of native cultures (indigenous). Examples of these movements would be upholding the concept of Negritude by Leopold S. Senghor in Senegal, or Pan-Arabism of Nasser in Egypt.
It was also essential to the role played by local leaders like Gandhi in India, Ho Chi Minh in Indochina, and Nkrumah in Ghana. The strength of these independence leader groups was in the commercial and administrative bourgeoisie.
Changes in View
Anti-imperialist consciousness grew in importance in Western countries since the 1920s. In 1918, U.S. President Wilson raised his Fourteen Points, among which included the right of self-determination. Christian churches (Catholic and Protestant) led initiatives against imperialism. The socialist party appeals against imperialism were seeping between the popular classes and intellectual sectors, and from the Soviet Union also broadcast an idea very belligerent against imperialism and pro-independence of the colonies.
The Role of the UN
The UN’s position on the colonial problem also promoted the self-determination process of the colonial territories. Its charter already picked up the right of self-determination of the colonies, and in 1960, it condemned colonialism.
The Profitability of Empires
Maintaining empires generated a series of economic and political costs that cast doubt on their profitability.
Influence of the Cold War
The U.S. and the USSR opposed colonialism. In the American case, it had another goal, such as capturing the colonial markets and aligning the new countries into the Western bloc. The Soviet Union aimed to attract new countries to its bloc. The support of the superpowers allowed self-determination to incorporate the principles of the UN.
The Bandung Conference
The Bandung Conference of 1955 convened the newly independent countries of Asia and Africa with the aim of positioning itself to one of the policy blocs. They had an important role in its development and the creation of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. The conference was an important accelerator of anti-colonial consciousness. The signatories agreed to:
- Assist the various independence movements.
- Prevent the instrumentalization of the new countries by any of the two conflicting blocs.