Rise of Mass Nationalism and Political Parties in Africa

Rise of Mass Nationalism and Political Parties in Africa

The Meaning of Mass Nationalism

Explain the meaning of mass nationalism

This refers to nationalistic activities that occurred after 1945, after the Second World War it was in this period that African was successful in their struggle at times referred as modern nationalism.

Immediately after World War II Africans gained the momentum to demand for self determination this came as a result for intensive exploitation of African resources after World war two.

Generally mass nationalism is characterized by mass feeling and attitude of demanding independence by using a nationalist struggle in form of unified parties beyond the class, tribe or ethnic background.

Characteristics of mass nationalism

·         Well organized and planned by elites, African leaders those that were educated fromcolonial schools.

·         It was a national wide that it covered the whole nation through opening up manybranches in the whole state both in the rural and urban areas.

·         It was led by the elites i.e. educated leaders who were focused e.g. Nyerere, Kenyatta,Obote and Nkurumah.

·         It was political in origin, i.e. they struggled for political independence of Africa.

·         It was dominated by both dialogue and armed struggle, where dialogue proved a failure.

·         It was motivated by both internal and external factors, unlike those before 1945 whichwere motivated by internal forces.

·         It led to the independence of some nations i.e. it was successful in getting independencefor African nations.

The Reason for the Rise of Mass Nationalism in Africa

Analyse the reason for the rise of mass nationalism in Africa

Factors that gave birth to African nationalism are of two kinds.

·         Internal factors

·         External factors

Internal factors

There were forces that were internally motivated, that generated within African societies that brought about nationalism in Africa. These included the following factors.

Formation of peasant cooperative union, especially in rural areas to defend the interests and welfare of the farmers, where some associations were formed by the colonialists as to speed up the production and the marketing of cash crop as well as sensitizing peasants about cultivation through their associations. But later alone developed nationalistic feelings and turned against the colonialists using their association‟s structures in rural areas.

Intensive exploitation after the Second World War in the colonies the colonizers wanted to revamp their ruined economies, which were heavily damaged by the war; large scale colonization was carried out.

Formation of independent churches, these were churches that were lead by the Africans breaking away from main stream white churches to challenge their misdeeds over the Africans. They addressed not only religious but also social, political and economic grievances of Africans such churches included Joseph Ejayi in west Africa, the Kikuyu native church, the watch tower church movement in Malawi 1906, the African national church in Tanganyika, the people God and religion of Jesus in Kenya and united native church in Cameroon. Such churches openly criticized the colonialists and encouraged their followers to fight them thus the rise of African nationalism

Formation of segregated African schools, after realizing that the missionary and colonial school taught nothing but European based syllabus some African societies begun their own schools, like among the Kikuyu in Kenya Africans were taught African syllabus. This helped in educating Africans and developing the spirit of nationalism.

Rise of elites, who had attained colonial education like Nyerere in Tanganyika, Nkurumah in Ghana, Kamuzu Banda in Malawi and Abafemi Awolowo of Nigeria. This education helped them to get used to the white language, to get exposed to various struggle and liberation of the world. But on top of that some elite came from outside Africa the combination of both helped to the rise of nationalism provision of leadership for nationalistic struggle.

Ghana independence in 1957, it was example to estimate other African nations to begin fight for their freedom so it as possible for them also to attain independence from their colonial power.

The Italy vs. Ethiopia war of 1935-1941, under Mussolini and Haile Selasie and Ras Imra increased the momentum of African nationalism Italy an industrialized nation was heavily and bravery resisted by an African nation Ethiopia this boosted African confidence towards their struggle for independence was defeated.

Formation of social welfare association, this aimed to improve the working conditions of African workers discriminations and colonial abuses to the Africans such associations largely based in urban centers and comprised colonial civil servants like the Kikuyu central association in Kenya that was formed by Harry Thuku the railway territory civil association in Tanganyika, Tanganyika territory civil service association (T.T.C.S.A.)which was formed Martin Kayamba the peoples union in 1908 in Nigeria. Such association exerted more pressure on the colonialists to consider giving African independence which led to African nationalism.

Mass media especially newspapers played a big role in spreading awareness among the population in both rural and urban areas such newspaper included Sauti ya TANU in Tanganyika, the pilot and the comet in Nigeria

Colonial social infrastructures also played a big role in facilitating the spread and the rise of African nationalism that‟s why some historians do say that colonialism sown a seed of its own destruction, infrastructures like railway and roads facilitated the nationalistic activities in rural and urban centers by spreading the message of liberation in all parts of Africa.

Formation of Pan Africanize in 1900by William Sylvester from the new world which later led to the formation of O.A.U. an organization that united all African independent nations to help in fighting for African independence.

External factors

These were factors that motivated nationalism but being generated from outside Africa such forces included:

The returning ex-soldiers, who participated in the war on the side of their colonial masters assisting them as porters and security guards of many camps, this participation brought awareness since these soldiers were exposed to western democracy, freedom and liberation message some veterans like Dedan Kimathi who were later a leader of Mau Mau in Kenya.

Formation of UN which replaced the League of Nation where independent African states were allowed to participate as members it becomes an organization of all nations. African and Asian nations through the UN opposed the colonialists and demanded self determination, unlike during the League of Nations where African colonies became mandatory colonies of European nations.

The India and Pakistan independences, these acted as external pressure for the Africans to emulate both were British colonies that attained their independence in 1948 as one nation which later separated in two nations, following that African quoted such incidences as a negotiate tool to argue for the independence.

The Bandung conference of 17th April 1955, where Asians and Africans nations such as south Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Libya and Egypt met in Indonesia to discuss their problems which include colonialism and economic development, they emphasized solidarity, it was during this conference that non aligned movements NAM was formed in this conference.

Rise of communism in USSR the second world war witnessed the expansion and consolidation of the communist bloc whereby Russian begun to provide material and moral support for anti colonial struggle for Africa e.g. it supported rebel groups in Angola and Namibia to fight colonialists.

Marshal plan, this was initiated by George Marshal the prime minister of USA whereby he began giving loans to the war ruined European nations on condition that they should decolonize in Africa and Asian nations, by granting independence to those nations.

Open door policy of USA, this policy was introduced by USA for the aim of conducting business with independent African states thus it begun requesting colonialists to give independence to the African countries so as to do business with USA

The British labour party, which assumed power in 1945 its policies were against colonialism which they viewed as oppression of humanity and wastage of British tax payers money such anti colonial sentiments in Britain made many nationalistic movement to agitate for their immediate independence.

The rise of USA as a leading capitalist nation, after the world war two US became the chief superior of war materials and the war did not affect her economy negatively made her to became a leading capitalist nation and begun to advocate for decolonization of African nations as a trick to compensate for not colonizing through establishment of neo colonialism to get market for her finished goods area of investment for her international cooperation.

The aftermath of the Second World War to the colonialists who incurred a lot of losses and could not continue with spending to the colonies so they were forced to grant some independence to some African states. But on top of the above some European powers adopted intensive exploitation to revamp their economies which awakened many Africans to resist thus the rise of nationalism in Africa.

The Strengths, Weaknesses and Contribution of Political Parties towards the Road to Independence

Compare the strengths, weaknesses and contribution of political parties towards the road to independence

Weaknesses of political parties in Africa

·         Financial problems this was because members were unable to contribute the money requiredfor various political activities due to poverty.

·         Lack of reliable communication networks that could easy the transmission of information fromone place to another in order to facilitate political activities of spreading political awarenessamong the Africans.

·         Colonial restrictions to political parties, colonial governments acted as obstacles to Africanpolitical parties since they limited political activities and slow down the decolonization processby banning political parties. For example the British colonial government restricted governmentworkers from being members of TANU in Tanganyika. In Ghana Nkwame Nkurumah (CCP) wasimprisoned all of this aimed at suppressing African political parties.

·         Opposition between African political parties as each party basing on their ethnic, regionalism orelitism competing against the other to the extent of conducting campaign against the otherinstead of joining hands in fighting their common enemy. For example in Nigeria and Uganda thecases were commonly practiced.

·         Some political parties were created to meet the interest of a few such as elite for example theUganda National Congress (UNC) was created to meet the interest of other non Baganda againstthe Kabaka Yekka of Buganda in Uganda.

·         Lack of support from other organizations like women, youth and farmers associations during thetime of spreading liberation messages for decolonization process in Africa.

Strengths and contribution of political parties in Africa

·         The use of peaceful means to fight for independence unlike armed struggle which led to loss ofmany African lives and property destructions

·         The rise of awareness among Africans as many Africans through their different groups andassociations became conscious of their grievances by demanding their independence fromcolonial governments through political rallies, propaganda newspapers and organized boycotts.For example CCP of Ghana encouraged Ghanaians to boycott the colonialists.

·         Unifying the Africans to fight against colonial government as their common enemy, they usedyouth and women to unify the masses at the grassroots to fight colonialism. For example CCP ofGhana and TANU in Tanganyika had youths and women groups to support them in fighting theirgoals of bringing independence.

The Problems Experienced during Mass Nationalism

Analyse the problems experienced during mass nationalism

When Africans struggled for the independence, especially during mass nationalism, they encountered many problems such as: Disunity among the Africans, tribalism, financial problems, lack of awareness among Africans as well as strong opposition from colonial rulers