Road to Decolonization and role of nationalism

1
Road to Decolonization and role of nationalism
Chapter 32

• Latin America
• Middle East
• Africa
• South and Southeast Asia

2
What was the nature of British imperialism in
India?

• Britain developed the infrastructure of India in
  the form of harbors, railroads, modern cities,
  and cotton and steel mills.
• Independence was granted gradually with full
  independence coming only after World War II.
• English rule provided many benefits. English
  became the common language for a land with many
  different languages. English rule also created
  Western-educated professionals and bureaucrats
  who were to become the leaders of the
  independence movement.

3
What was the role of Mohandas Gandhis in the
Indian independence movement and the direction of
that movement after World War I?

• Gandhis teachings of nonviolent protest and
  class unity found receptive Indian audiences.
• He combined Hindu and Christian ideologies and
  rejected industrialization in favor of home
  manufacturing.
• As a result, Britain slowly granted concessions
  to the Indian National Congress and Muslim
  League, particularly in internal affairs.
• British weaknesses during World War II, along
  with Indian contributions to the war effort,
  resulted in British promises of independence
  after the war.
• When a postwar split between Muslims and Hindus
  divided the movement, the Muslims broke away to
  form the Pakistan.
• The British viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, declared
  independence for India and Pakistan in August
  1947.

4
Describe the movement for independence in India
prior to the rise of Mohandas Gandhi.

• British colonialism, the soaring Indian
  population, and the rigid class structure of
  Indian society were the major factors influencing
  the independence movement.
• British racial attitudes particularly offended
  the better-educated Indians. In 1885, that
  professional class founded the Indian National
  Congress, which petitioned the government for
  reforms rather than for independence.
• During World War I, Indian support for Britain
  led the Home Rule League to ask for more radical
  reforms, such as Indian control of internal
  affairs. Britain responded with some minor
  concessions toward self-rule.
• A return to conservative policies after the war
  caused violent uprisings by Indians who believed
  that British concessions were an attempt to
  postpone Indian independence.

5
What were some of the factors that led to the
growth of movements for African independence?

• There were several forces that gave rise to
  independence movements in Africa.
• First, the education of some Africans received
  from Christian or Muslim schools, and their
  exposure to political ideas from the West that
  emphasized natural rights clearly influenced an
  African elite to identify their need for
  independence.
• They helped create the African National Congress
  to defend the interests of Africans.
• Many Africans participated as soldiers in World
  War II and returned to Africa with new radical
  ideas that favored liberation.
• World War II demands for labor, conscription, and
  food exports, together with Allied ideals of
  liberation and freedom, convinced many Africans
  of the need for radical change.

6
What was the nature of classic colonialism in
Africa before World War II. And what changes did
European rule bring to Africa?

• Colonialism received a boost at the end of the
  First World War when the Allies won control of
  German colonies.
• Europeans invested heavily in colonial railroads,
  harbors, and mines, which enormously increased
  the output and value of agricultural and mining
  commodities.
• However, forced labor and urbanization increased
  malnutrition and disease.
• Racial segregation in housing, health care, and
  public accommodations became more pronounced.
• Labor demands and the widening disparity between
  the wealthy and the poor embittered many
  Africans, causing a growth in nationalist
  movements

7
What were the circumstances prior to 1911 that
triggered the Mexican Revolution?

• Several important factors influenced the events
  leading up to the Mexican Revolution. Of all the
  Latin American nations, Mexico was the most
  affected by three centuries of Spanish colonial
  rule.
• There were divisions between Mexicans of Spanish,
  Indian, and mixed ancestry, as well as deep class
  divisions between the wealthy and the poor.
• By 1910, the wealthiest 1 percent of the families
  of Spanish origin owned 85 percent of all land.
  The great increase in railroads and other
  infrastructure benefited only wealthy Mexicans,
  exacerbating class divisions.
• The abandonment of traditional Mexican culture by
  the wealthy class further alienated the Mexican
  masses. These numerous divisions laid the
  groundwork for the Mexican Revolution.

8
How did the World Wars and the emerging world
economy affect the internal political situation
in Brazil and Argentina?

• Before the First World War, Brazil produced most
  of the worlds coffee, cacao, and rubber.
  However, competition from Asia crashed the rubber
  export business in 1912 and World War I stopped
  the flow of imports and lessened the flow of
  exports. Some immigrants started their own
  manufacturing of textiles and household goods.
• In Argentina, the middle class got the secret
  ballot and suffrage in 1916 and elected a liberal
  president but Argentina likewise had a coup in
  1930 by the military.
• In 1943, another military coup was staged by Juan
  Perón.
• The coup leaders were corrupt and wanted nothing
  less than the conquest of South America.
• Perón, however, reinvented himself as a champion
  of the downtrodden urban workers and his wife,
  Eva Perón, became the champion of women,
  children, and the poor.
• Juan Perón won the presidency in 1946 and created
  a popular dictatorship.